A skateboarder was killed Friday evening after being hit by a Los Angeles Police Department vehicle in Highland Park.
The crash happened on Figueroa Street near Sycamore Grove Park and has left the neighborhood shaken.
According to investigators, the skateboarder was riding south in the median when a police vehicle with its lights and sirens on was coming north in the same median to get past traffic.
People who saw it say it all happened fast and looked scary.
Kayla, who was nearby, said the officers hit the man while moving really fast. LAPD has not confirmed the vehicle's speed yet but says everything is recorded and will be looked at in the investigation. Officials also said the officers were not believed to be driving too fast for the situation.
The skateboarder, described as a man in his late 20s or early 30s, died on the street right in front of a carnival at Sycamore Grove Park. The carnival, which was supposed to run until 10 p.m., ended early after the crash.
Kayla said the scene was chaotic with kids crying and parents shouting trying to understand what had happened. She said there were a lot of young children and “you could just hear a bunch of kids crying when the crash happened and then everybody was yelling. It was all chaos.”
Capt. Mike Bland from LAPD said officers often use the median to move through traffic when responding to emergencies. He said even though they are allowed to drive with lights and sirens, they still need to be careful, and the investigation will look at every detail of what happened.
Police have not released the skateboarder’s identity yet as they contact his family. The two officers in the patrol vehicle are reported to be shaken by the incident.
The crash has brought up questions about street safety and how emergency vehicles navigate crowded roads. Residents and witnesses are left trying to process a tragic moment that unfolded in front of families enjoying a local event.