A man was shot and critically injured by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies in Lakewood on a recent Saturday morning. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a press release that the deputies encountered the man, who was allegedly armed with two knives, in the parking lot of the 5900 block of South Street, near Woodruff Avenue, shortly before 9:45 a.m.
According to KTLA, the deputies were responding to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon when they observed the man with the weapons. The details of what specifically transpired leading up to the deputies discharging their firearm were not immediately clarified, but it was reported that the man did not comply with the deputies' commands. LASD Lakewood Watch Sgt. Dennis Elmor confirmed the critical injury of the man, who was subsequently transported to a local hospital.
During the encounter, the deputies attempted to use a taser, which proved "ineffective in stopping the suspect's advances," as per the Sheriff's Department's statement obtained by CBS News Los Angeles. The deputies then opened fire after the man continued to advance toward them and demanded they shoot him.
No deputies were injured during the incident, however, the man was struck by gunfire and is reported to be in critical but stable condition. The incident remained under investigation, with the Sheriff's Department reporting the recovery of two knives from the scene. "The suspect was uncooperative and refused to comply with their commands," the statement further detailed. In the wake of these events, the department has urged anyone with more information to come forward and contact LASD's Homicide Bureau directly or through Crime Stoppers for anonymous reporting, according to information from FOX LA.
