Video from LA sheriff’s department shows fatal West Hills deputy shooting
A new video released by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department shows the fatal shooting of a suspect, and the moments leading up to it, during an attempted robbery at a West Hills shopping plaza on Jan. 22.
The recently released security footage shows a woman walking in the parking lot at the 6600 block of Fallbrook Avenue, in front of a Michael’s craft store just after 8:30 p.m., when she is approached by a white sedan. The car, which had been parked, drives towards the woman and a man jumps out and attempts to rob her, armed with a handgun. The woman attempts to run away but is chased by the man, who appears to be wearing a light colored hoodie and dark pants.
The suspect later was identified by the sheriff’s department as Brandon Goytia, 18.
He demanded that the woman give him her jewelry and grabbed her purse, according to the sheriff’s department. When he grabbed the woman’s purse, she fell to the ground. Goytia held his gun to the woman’s head as she screamed for help, the sheriff’s department said.
Sheriff’s detectives were conducting a surveillance operation in connection with a series of armed robberies in the area, the department said.
While the woman is on the ground of the parking lot in front of Goytia, still trying to get away, detectives get out of their unmarked car and try to detain him. Goytia turns and points his gun at the detectives and a detective shoots him.
As he fell, he fired his gun at a detective, according to the department. Footage shows the muzzle of his gun flashing. The car Goytia got out of leaves the scene and two more detectives’ cars approach Goytia and the detectives that confronted him, driving over from other areas in the parking lot.
The attempted robbery victim crawls away onto the sidewalk in front of the store.
Goytia was given medical aid by detectives and fire department personnel but he died at the scene.
The sheriff’s department also released a photo of the gun recovered at the scene, which is a 9mm semiautomatic “ghost gun,” with a loaded extended magazine, according to the department.
The driver of the car that Goytia got out of, a woman, was later arrested in nearby Agoura Hills, following a brief pursuit.
The victim of the attempted robbery had minor injuries and was treated at the scene. No sheriff’s deputies were injured. The shooting was the second deputy-involved shooting the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department reported in 2026.