Downey man fatally shot by police identified

Authorities Monday identified a man who was fatally shot by police at a residence in Downey over the weekend.

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.

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"A male subject was shot and died from his injuries," police said in a statement. It was unclear exactly what led to the gunfire.

On Monday, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner identified the man as Alberto Arenas, 29, of Downey, who died at the scene.

No officers were hurt and no other injuries were reported, police said.

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 shooting was urged to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org .

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