Downey police officer fatally shoots man after alleged altercation over fireworks

Police released this image of the weapon Alberto Arenas allegedly pointed at officers before he was fatally shot by police.

This article has been updated with additional details.

DOWNEY — Police fatally shot a man who allegedly pointed an airsoft rifle at officers, authorities said Sunday.

Officers were dispatched at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday to a call of a disturbance in the 7100 block of Stewart and Gray Road, the Downey Police Department reported. The area is just east of the Long Beach (710) Freeway.

"Officers arrived on scene and during their investigation, an officer- involved shooting occurred," police said in a statement. "A male subject was shot and died from his injuries."

The suspect, 29-year-old Alberto Arenas, died at the scene. No officers were hurt and no other injuries were reported.

Police later released a photo of the weapon Arenas allegedly pointed, described as an air soft-style rifle. 

Witnesses said Arenas, who allegedly had mental health issues, was lighting fireworks in the backyard and got into an argument with a neighbor before being fatally shot by a responding officer.

Downey police reported that the California Department of Justice was handling the investigation. The DOJ is required to investigate all fatal shootings of unarmed civilians by law enforcement officers under a law that took effect in 2021.

Anyone with information about the incident was urged to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.