Man accused of wounding 2 officers died of suicide, officials say

A Willowbrook man who allegedly shot a Los Angeles police officer in the face last week during a probation check died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, L.A. County coroner’s officials said Monday.

The autopsy on Howard Michael Carl Partee, 33, determined the death was a suicide, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations for the coroner’s office.

The wounded LAPD gang officer, who has not been identified, is recovering from two gunshot wounds — one to the face and the other to the neck. A county probation officer suffered a graze wound to the leg, said Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers.

Authorities say Partee, who had a relatively small criminal record, fired on the officer in the face Wednesday evening as the officer entered an attic in an unincorporated area of the county near South Los Angeles.

The shooting led to an hours-long standoff, and when police moved in — after using tear gas and search robot — they discovered that Partee had died in the attic where he had been hiding before the shooting.

Since 1999, Partee had been convicted of domestic violence, grand theft and drug possession, court records show. His most recent conviction came in February 2010 for narcotics possession, but he was not on parole or probation when the shooting took place.

LAPD investigators said they may never determine a motive in the case.

Authorities originally had come to the residence in the 2200 block of East 117^th Street to search for a woman, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case. They did not find the woman but were directed to the front of the home after smelling marijuana.

They detained several men and were searching the property when they came upon Partee in the attic.

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