Deputy Is Punished for Role in Slaying : Law enforcement: Unspecified action is taken by Sheriff’s Department against officer who shot and killed teen-ager.

Unspecified “administrative action” has been taken against a deputy who shot and killed an unarmed 15-year-old boy he said he thought was about to pull a gun, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced Wednesday.

The department said it had concluded its investigation into the shooting death of David Ortiz, who was shot in the back by Deputy Jose Belmares after a chase in Artesia on Aug. 28, 1991. A county grand jury found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Belmares or any of the deputies involved in three other controversial shootings last year.

In announcing the conclusion of the investigation, Sgt. Ron Spear would only say that “administrative action has been taken.”

“This is a personnel matter and, as such, we are precluded by law from commenting any further at this time,” he said.

Sheriff’s investigators said last year that Belmares fired because he believed Ortiz was reaching for a gun in his waistband. Witnesses said the teen-ager was shot as he was attempting to run away.

No gun was found on or near the body.

The FBI opened an investigation into possible civil rights violations in the Ortiz death and the three other controversial deputy-involved shooting deaths.

“We do have an on-going investigation into the Ortiz death and that case has been forwarded to Washington, D.C., for review,” said FBI spokeswoman Joanne Wilfert.

The U.S. attorney in Los Angeles will make the final decision on whether civil rights charges will be filed against any deputies, she said.

Miguel F. Garcia, an attorney representing the boy’s parents, Debbie and David Ortiz Sr., said he would call the Sheriff’s Department for an explanation of the administrative action.

The parents last month sent a letter to the department demanding that the deputies involved be fired and asking for a meeting with Sheriff Sherman Block.

Department officials said Block could not meet with the parents because of the pending administrative investigation, Garcia said.

Now, the attorney said, the parents would press for a meeting with the sheriff to demand answers about the disciplinary action against the deputies involved in their son’s death.