A standoff in Sylmar ended with LAPD opening fire on a man accused of assaulting family members, after hours of negotiation failed to bring the confrontation to a peaceful resolution. The suspect, later identified as Carlos Zepeda Jr., had reportedly barricaded himself inside the apartment on the 14000 block of Foothill Boulevard, as per the LAPD Newsroom.
The tense ordeal began on March 9 when a frantic 9-1-1 call was made by relatives claiming they were assaulted by Zepeda, wielding a wooden stick, before he forced entry into the apartment. When police arrived on the scene, Zepeda allegedly threatened them with kitchen shears and later a large knife. SWAT and crisis negotiators, including a psychologist, spent several hours attempting to defuse the situation, according to an account from the Hoodline report.
Despite deploying less-lethal options such as chemical agents, less-lethal projectiles, and electronic control devices, Zepeda continued to approach officers with the knife, prompting the officer-involved shooting. He was struck by the gunfire and taken to a local hospital, now listed in critical condition. No other injuries were reported during the incident.
Det. Meghan Aguilar of the LAPD detailed the initial response, saying, "A male adult had harmed family members that lived in the apartment and so police responded," as she told KABC. The cousin's knife, measuring a 9 ½” blade, was recovered at the scene. Police confirmed that the family involved exited the apartment unharmed before the confrontation escalated.
The Force Investigation Division of LAPD is conducting a thorough investigation into the shooting, as new evidence surfaces and witness accounts are reviewed.
