13700 Block of South Inglewood Avenue: Officers Shoot a Man Reported to Be Armed Inside a Sports Bar
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA (October 30, 2026): A man died after a Hawthorne police shooting inside The Coach’s Sports Bar & Grill in the 13700 block of South Inglewood Avenue on Friday night, October 30, 2026, according to the Hawthorne Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which took over the investigation at Hawthorne’s request. Officers had responded to 911 calls about a man with a gun inside the bar, NBC Los Angeles and CBS Los Angeles reported, citing police.
Officers encountered the man inside the bar and shot him multiple times, NBC Los Angeles reported. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. Police told NBC Los Angeles that the man did not fire any shots, and that no officers or other people inside the bar were hurt. ABC7 reported that police detained two other people at the scene and that it was not immediately clear how they were connected to the case.
The man’s name and age have not been released. Homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Department are leading the investigation, as is common when a city police department asks for an outside investigation of a shooting by its own officers. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be given to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, MyNewsLA reported.
Police have not said what the man was doing with the gun when officers fired, how many officers fired, or whether body-worn cameras recorded the encounter. Reports also differ on the time of the first calls. The account so far comes from police and has not been independently reviewed. These are early accounts. Fault is determined by investigators and, in civil cases, by the courts, and initial findings sometimes change.
Liability for a Hawthorne Police Shooting
Under California Penal Code § 835a, officers generally may use deadly force only when they reasonably believe it is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, judged by the totality of the circumstances. Federal law, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, allows civil claims when officers violate a person’s constitutional rights, and California’s Bane Act, Civil Code § 52.1, can apply when force interferes with rights through threats, intimidation or coercion. In Hayes v. County of San Diego (2013), the California Supreme Court held that officers’ conduct before a shooting can be part of whether the use of deadly force was reasonable.
- Whether a threat was imminent: Police have said the man did not fire. Investigators will look at where the gun was, whether he pointed it at anyone and what officers saw in the seconds before they fired.
- Conduct before the shots: Under Hayes, the tactics used when officers entered a busy bar, including commands, distance and any attempt to de-escalate, can be part of the review.
- Risk to people in the bar: The bar was open with people inside. How and where officers fired in that setting is part of the overall question of whether the force was reasonable.
- The outside investigation: The Sheriff’s Department investigation, the District Attorney’s later review and any video will shape what is known about the sequence of events.
These laws apply in general terms, and whether any claim exists depends on facts that have not been made public, including video, witness accounts and the findings of the investigation. Sheriff’s homicide detectives also handled the outside investigation in a recent Los Angeles County case we reported, the Monterey Park police shooting on Atlantic Boulevard.
Steps to Take After a Hawthorne Police Shooting
In Los Angeles County, a shooting by city police is commonly investigated by the Sheriff’s Department and later reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office. Families and witnesses can take a few practical steps while those reviews move forward.
- Write down what you saw: If you were inside The Coach’s Sports Bar or nearby, write down what you saw and heard, including any commands and the order of events, as soon as possible.
- Keep your videos: Save any phone video, photos or messages from that night. Do not edit or delete them, and keep the original files.
- Ask for records: Families can request incident reports, the coroner’s report and video through public records requests and through an attorney.
- Be careful with statements: Before giving a recorded statement to any agency or insurer, consider speaking with a lawyer.
Legal deadlines and notice requirements apply after a crash, injury or death, and they vary with the facts of each case, the location and the parties involved, including any public agency. Contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Investigating the Hawthorne Police Shooting
We at Carrazco Law, A.P.C., a personal injury and civil rights law firm in Irvine, California, extend our condolences to the family and friends of the man who died. Important questions remain: what the man was doing with the gun when officers fired inside a bar with people present, and whether body-worn cameras or the bar’s own security cameras recorded the moments before the shots.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a police or deputy shooting anywhere in California, our civil rights attorneys can help you understand your rights and legal options. Call us anytime at (800) 541-3244. Se Habla Español. Free consultation.
Published on November 2, 2026 by M.M., Carrazco Law, A.P.C. The incident described in this article occurred on October 30, 2026.
