Man who opened fire at officers killed during traffic stop in Gardena

A traffic stop in Gardena ended in a shootout with police late Friday night, leaving one man dead, according to authorities. The incident began around 11:05 p.m. in the 2100 block of West Rosecrans Boulevard when a Gardena Police Department officer stopped a motorist for a vehicle code violation. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the officer contacted the vehicle’s sole occupant, identified as a Black man, and “immediately” saw a firearm within his reach. Deputies said the officer gave multiple commands to not reach for the gun, but the man armed himself, exited, and fired at officers, followed by an officer-involved shooting. The man was taken to a nearby hospital and died of his injuries. A handgun was found at the scene; no officers were injured.