Los Angeles – A toddler whose father held her as a shield during a gun battle with police died of a single gunshot fired from a police officer’s rifle, authorities said Wednesday.
Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Craig Harvey released the autopsy reports of 19-month-old Suzie Pena and her father Jose Pena, 34, who were both killed Sunday in the nearly three-hour shootout at Pena’s auto-repair business.
The girl died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and her father died of multiple gunshot wounds, the reports said.
A toxicological examination to determine whether Pena had drugs or alcohol in his system will take several weeks, Harvey said.
“Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to the family, particularly the mother,” Police Chief William Bratton said at a news conference Wednesday.
Although Bratton has adamantly maintained that Pena was responsible for his and his daughter’s deaths, he said the realization that it was a police officer who actually shot the girl was hard to take.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said there will be a community meeting Friday and urged people to reserve judgment until the investigation is completed.
“I am asking for the public’s patience,” he said. “It was a terrible night that ended in a terrible tragedy for this city.”
