On July 12, 2025, between approximately 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., deputies assigned to the South Los Angeles Station were responding to a call for service when they discovered that their Department-issued “Colt M4” rifle was missing. The rifle had been stored in the trunk of their patrol vehicle and is believed to have fallen out during transit. The rifle was secured inside a black, hard-shelled storage case, which also contained five magazines, each loaded with 30 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition.
We are notifying the public in the interest of transparency and community safety, and to seek assistance in locating the missing Department-issued rifle.
The deputies had traveled an estimated 4 miles along the following route: North on Normandie Avenue, West on Imperial Highway, North on Hawthorne Boulevard, and West on 104th Street to Inglewood Avenue.
Upon realizing the rifle was missing, personnel from the South Los Angeles Station immediately initiated a search of the station parking lot and retraced the deputies’ route of travel. Surveillance footage from the area is currently being reviewed, and local law enforcement agencies have been notified of the incident.
The Sheriff’s Department has initiated an internal review of the incident, including an evaluation of whether policies and procedures were followed, to identify areas for improvement and prevent future incidents from occurring. The Department is committed to transparency and accountability as we investigate this incident.
Anyone with information regarding the missing rifle or who may have video footage captured along the deputies’ route of travel is urged to contact South Los Angeles Station at (323) 820-6700. You can also report information anonymously to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS(8477) or emailing http://lacrimestoppers.org.
