There was no gun recovered from the scene of an officer-involved shooting Friday afternoon in Los Feliz, an LAPD spokesman told KPCC.
Officers say the unidentified man in his 30s flagged down a patrol car in Los Feliz and they thought he was holding a gun wrapped in a towel.
"This person then extended their arm, which was wrapped in a towel. And the officer exited the vehicle and quickly said, 'Drop the gun, drop the gun' and an officer-involved shooting occurred," LAPD spokesman John Jennel said.
The incident happened in a parkway near Lowry Road and Los Feliz Boulevard at 6:35 p.m, according to NBC LA.
The man was hospitalized and was still in critical condition as of early Saturday morning.
A video is circulating on social media that appears to show officers handcuffing the suspect, who is bleeding from the head. (Warning: Video is extremely graphic.)
The LAPD is investigating the shooting.