An altercation between police and a woman allegedly armed with a gun and a machete unfolded in a Woodland Hills neighborhood earlier this week, resulting in the woman being shot by officers. The Los Angeles Police Department has recently confirmed that the suspect, Claudia Corugedo, 42, was in fact carrying a BB gun designed to mimic the appearance of a semiautomatic pistol, as reported in a press release from LAPD.
According to the department's detailed account, the incident occurred starting at approximately 7:15 a.m. last Monday, when Van Nuys Division officers were called to a possible shooting on Sherman Way. The situation quickly escalated when officers attempted to detain Corugedo, who had a felony warrant. She proceeded to remove and then point what appeared to be a pistol at her own throat, leading officers to quickly reassess and call for backup. The situation further intensified as Corugedo led police on a vehicle pursuit that came to a culmination on Arcana Road, as SWAT were being dispatched to the scene, only for Corugedo to start making her way towards a residential home while still brandishing the weapons, at which point an officer-involved shooting took place.
Local residents were caught in an unnerving standoff, which lasted roughly three hours and compelled them to shelter in their homes. "We were sleeping and then helicopters were really loud and started going around the neighborhood, and saying like "please stay inside your house, lock your doors, there is an armed suspect in your neighborhood, be safe, do not leave your house,'" neighbor Katrina Escalante recalled in a statement reported by CBS News. Aerial footage showed Corugedo standing atop her van at one point and, subsequently, lying at the doorstep of a residence.
The pursuit and the ensuing standoff eventually ended when Corugedo was taken into custody by SWAT around 10:30 a.m. and was promptly transported to a local hospital for medical attention. The LAPD's subsequent investigation revealed that the suspected firearm was actually a BB gun. Additionally, a metal machete was recovered at the scene. SWAT's involvement, while critical, was overshadowed by the revelation of the BB gun, which underscores the complexities officers often face when having to quickly ascertain the lethality of a situation. No officers or other community members reported injuries related to the encounter.
After receiving medical treatment, Corugedo was booked on charges related to felony evading. The Force Investigation Division of the LAPD is currently looking deeper into the officer-involved shooting, a process that may bring to bear more context and understanding as the investigation continues to evolve.
