The Los Angeles streets witnessed a harrowing showdown late Tuesday night when LAPD officers were confronted with a knife-wielding woman in the thick of an alleged assault, prompting an officer-involved shooting. Details were provided by the LAPD Newsroom, stating that the incident unfolded in the Olympic Division.
Officers responded swiftly to a distressing “Assault with a Deadly Weapon suspect there now” radio call around 11:10 p.m. last Wednesday at the 300 block of South Kenmore Avenue. Upon their arrival, police witnessed 28-year-old Dominica Briones in the middle of an assault attempt, brandishing a knife at an identified male and ignoring the officer's commands to disarm. According to the LAPD, the suspect, caught in the act in the middle of the roadway as officers were driving down Kenmore Avenue, continued to advance on the victim, swinging the knife menacingly.
The tension escalated when the victim, utilizing a discarded dresser drawer as an improvised shield, managed to fend off the knife attacks from Briones, culminating in the police discharging their firearms. After being struck by gunfire, Briones was taken into custody and subsequently transported by the Los Angeles Fire Department to a local hospital, her condition being stable, as reported.
While the victim escaped with a minor cut to his finger, treated at the scene by first responders, no officers or other citizens suffered harm during the tense encounter. It was noted by the LAPD Newsroom that a kitchen knife with a 3” blade was later recovered from Briones' purse.
Focusing on the aftermath, the LAPD's Force Investigation Division took charge, conducting interviews with witnesses and overseeing the evidence gathered by their Forensic Science Division personnel. The incident's thorough investigation will later be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General.
