Tuesday morning, in a residential neighborhood in Irvine, a man was hospitalized after an officer-involved shooting. The police were at the man’s apartment complex to serve him a warrant related to lewd conduct with a child. Sgt. Scott McClellan of the Irvine Police Department placed the shooting at about 10:40am (PT).

Police detectives made contact with the suspect, 35-year-old Ronald Williams, in the apartment parking lot before they were able to serve the warrant. The Irvine Police Department reported that was when a detective shot Williams; no further information was provided at this time. No officers were injured in the shooting.

Williams’ condition was not specified though police said he was alert and talking when transported to the hospital. Paramedics treated him initially at the scene. Williams was arrested for lewd or lascivious acts with a child.

Police discovered one handgun at the scene and one fake handgun in Williams’ car. A woman identified Williams as a tattoo artist. The woman, Lisa Henry, says she was in the car with the suspect and claims he did not pull out a gun. Henry says she met Williams three days ago and would babysit his 3-month-old and clean his apartment in exchange for a tattoo. Henry was not injured in the incident.

Independent investigations are being conducted by both the Orange County District Attorney and the Irvine Police Department. This is standard protocol when an officer is involved in a shooting.

Cindee Jackson was inside the leasing center of the apartments, filling out paperwork for a possible apartment, when the shots were heard. Jackson said, “We saw there was a man with a rifle and later found out he was a detective in plainclothes… We went on lockdown.”

[Image via KABC-TV Los Angeles, CA.]