On September 16, 2024, at about 4:50 a.m., officers responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon near Victory Boulevard and Bellingham Avenue in North Hollywood. They found 32-year-old Joseph Paul Tamburello deceased inside a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds; the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed his identity and listed his residence as Glendora, California.

Witnesses at the scene identified 37-year-old Sean Griffin as the person who fired into Tamburello’s vehicle. As officers approached, Griffin allegedly pointed a firearm at them, which led to an officer-involved shooting. Griffin fled, engaged officers repeatedly during a foot pursuit with exchanges of gunfire, and was fatally shot in a parking structure near Victory Boulevard. A loaded firearm and additional ammunition were recovered on him; no officers were injured.

The relationship between Tamburello and Griffin, and the motive for the initial shooting, remain unclear. The LAPD Force Investigation Division is reviewing the officer-involved shooting with oversight from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. If anyone has information about the shootings, please contact the LAPD.