Neighbors in the Highland Park neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles woke Thursday to a scene of taped-off pavement and a cluster of patrol vehicles after a pedestrian was fatally struck by an LAPD patrol car, authorities said. The collision, which occurred in the evening, shut down a stretch of Figueroa Street for hours as traffic investigators pieced together how the crash unfolded.

LAPD officials said in a statement that the department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit is leading the inquiry. “We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased and are committed to a thorough and transparent investigation,” the statement read. Police did not immediately confirm whether the patrol vehicle had its lights and siren activated at the time of impact; investigators said such details would be part of the ongoing review.

Residents described a tight-knit block shaken by the loss. “You can’t help but feel angry and scared,” said María Sánchez, a community organizer who lives nearby. “People walk these streets, and they’re not built for safety. This was preventable.” Sánchez and other local leaders called for an independent review of the collision and for accelerated traffic-calming measures in the area.

The crash adds to broader concerns about pedestrian safety in Los Angeles. City officials launched Vision Zero policies in recent years, aiming to eliminate traffic deaths through redesigns, lower speed limits and targeted enforcement. Advocates and some policymakers, however, argue that progress has been uneven and that low-income and predominantly Latino neighborhoods like Highland Park continue to suffer a disproportionate share of serious injury collisions.

Public health experts say traffic deaths are not only law-enforcement or transportation problems but also preventable harms with social determinants. “Street design, investment in sidewalks and crosswalks, and equitable enforcement all shape who lives and who dies on our roads,” said Dr. Leila Ortiz, an injury-prevention researcher at a local public health institute. “When communities lack safe infrastructure and political voice, we see higher rates of pedestrian trauma and long-term mental-health impacts from repeated losses.”

The incident also raises questions about policies governing police driving. LAPD policy directs officers to balance urgency with safety when responding to calls, and department leaders have in recent years emphasized training to reduce crashes. Still, advocates note that crashes involving emergency vehicles receive scrutiny from oversight bodies and the public, especially when they result in civilian deaths.

Local business owners said the street closure disrupted evening commerce and added to a sense of insecurity. Nearby schools and elder-care facilities were notified as a precaution while investigators processed the scene.

Family members of the victim have asked for privacy as they mourn. Community groups have scheduled a vigil and plan to press city officials for immediate interventions: pedestrian refuge islands, better lighting, a reduction in speed limits and a review of police vehicle response protocols in residential neighborhoods.

As investigators work to determine the precise sequence of events, the collision has reignited debates about how Los Angeles allocates safety resources and whose lives are prioritized in public-space planning. For many in Highland Park, the immediate grief is already giving way to renewed calls for structural change to prevent the next tragedy.