A man seen waving a gun was shot dead Saturday night in downtown Los Angeles after a confrontation with officers, police said.

Witnesses called police to report a man firing a gun in the area of Jesse and Mateo streets around 5 p.m., police said.

Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Oliver Thomas said the man had been acting strangely, lifting up his shirt and firing a gun into the air.

Thomas said he did not know whether the man was killed by an officer’s bullet or from a self-inflicted gunshot.


Police said no officers were injured in the incident.

@LATChrisGoffard