Los Angeles officer kills man wielding fake gun at Halloween party

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A Los Angeles police officer shot and killed a Halloween partygoer early Saturday after the man pointed what appeared to be a gun at the officer, authorities said.

The gun turned out to a replica semiautomatic pistol.

Authorities identified the dead man as 39-year-old Anthony Dwain Lee of Van Nuys, California. Lee was an actor whose roles included the part of Fred in the movie "Liar, Liar," which starred Jim Carrey.

According to Sgt. John Pasquariello, at about 4 a.m. Officer Tarriel Hopper and another officer from the West Los Angeles sector responded to a call of a loud party in the Los Angeles hills. Pasquariello said the officers were directed toward the back of the house to talk to the owner or person responsible for the party.

As the officers walked along a walkway to the back, Hopper, a three-year department veteran, saw three persons inside a small room.

One man saw the officers and produced "what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it directly at Officer Hopper," Pasquariello said in a police news release.

Hopper fired several rounds, wounding Lee. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Prosecutors won't call key witness to testify in LAPD corruption trial
October 27, 2000
Indictments issued for two former LAPD officers
October 23, 2000
Witness testifies truck never hit LAPD officers
October 23, 2000
Judge rules testimony concerning alleged Perez murders is irrelevant
October 20, 2000
Gang member testifies LAPD officers tried to frame him
October 19, 2000
Former deputy D.A. testifies in trial of 4 LAPD officers
October 18, 2000
Mexican authorities dig for alleged victims of Rafael Perez
October 14, 2000
LAPD trial starts with attacks on former officer Perez
October 5, 2000
Los Angeles City Council agrees to federal police reforms
September 20, 2000
Current and former LA police officers sue department for $100 million
August 24, 2000
Los Angeles police officer pleads guilty to civil rights violations
August 18, 2000
LAPD officer pleads guilty to federal civil rights charges
August 4, 2000

Los Angeles Police Department Web site
Justice Department Civil Rights Division
Los Angeles County District Attorney
U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.