People v. Sutton CA2/8

FACTS

On May 1, 2022, Los Angeles Police Officer Isaiah Peltekian, a member of the gang enforcement detail, was patrolling southeastern Los Angeles with two other officers. Los Angeles Police Officer Delgado was driving and Peltekian was in the front passenger seat. It was 9:00 p.m. Streetlights and the police car’s headlights were on. Peltekian had been a police officer for four and a half years. He had worked in the area for three and a half years. During that time, he had responded around 10 times to calls when people or property had been hit by gunfire. Sutton was approximately 20 yards away when Peltekian first saw him. Sutton and two other males were standing in front

Statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 of 10211 South Vermont. Sutton looked toward the police car, raised his eyebrows, dropped his mouth, jerked his head backwards, gave a “surprised, startled look” and grabbed the right side of his waistband with his right hand. To Peltekian it looked like Sutton was holding on to something. At this point, the officers were probably 10 yards from defendant. The property facing the street had a driveway blocked off between the sidewalk and the residence by a…