Officer who said ‘happy hunting’ before shooting suspended

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles police SWAT officer who was recorded on body-camera video telling his team “happy hunting” before a fatal police shooting last year has received a two-day suspension after an internal investigation, according to LAPD disciplinary records.

The records obtained by the Los Angeles Times identify the officer by his rank — police officer III — but don’t name him, due to state privacy laws.

The officer made the remark while preparing with other SWAT officers to surround an armed who had barricaded inside an apartment building. Police said the suspect fired down from a window and the officers returned fire, killing him.

Department officials have said that the remark was caught on the body camera of another officer and was discovered during a subsequent review of video from the incident.

The episode was seized on by department critics, who said it reflected a culture of brutality and callousness within SWAT, the Times said.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore at the time said he was disturbed by the “happy hunting” comment, but said the unit’s members have consistently shown restraint and skill while handling difficult and dangerous situations.