Suspect who died in South Gate standoff identified

SOUTH GATE, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect who was killed in a standoff with police has been identified as a 40-year-old South Gate man who had allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend with a handgun.

Christian Chavez, 40, died in the standoff, during which he allegedly fired at officers.

Police say on Sunday Chavez had hit his live-in girlfriend with a handgun, sending her to the hospital. He fled the area and South Gate officers obtained a warrant for his arrest Monday.

Monday night, his girlfriend told police she believed Chavez was in the area. Officers found him around 7:35 p.m. inside his parked truck on the 2700 block of Illinois Avenue.

He refused to leave the vehicle and a standoff situation developed.

SWAT officers eventually arrived on scene and tried to use less lethal rounds and irritants to get the man out of the car. At one point, he was seen drinking and smoking while he tried to wait out authorities. The irritants that were thrown into his vehicle did not appear to faze him.

Surrounding homes in the neighborhood were evacuated as authorities tried to get the man to surrender peacefully.

Toward the end of the standoff, the suspect opened fire and shot several rounds at officers through his passenger side window.

Officers fired back, riddling the vehicle with bullets. Chavez got out of the pickup, fell forward and appeared to be lifeless on the ground.

Five South Gate officers and one Huntington Park officer were involved in the shooting.

The investigation at the scene continued throughout the day Tuesday.