Man fatally shot by sheriff’s deputy in Altadena not armed at time of shooting

A man suspected of stabbing a woman was not holding a weapon when he was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy in Altadena, officials said on Wednesday.

The suspect, who had not been identified Wednesday, was near a gas station at a corner of the Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road intersection on Sunday evening, Jan. 22, chasing and attempting to stab people with a sharp metal object, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

When deputies arrived, the man was located a street over on the 2100 block of El Sereno Avenue where they say they witnessed him stab an elderly female, according to authorities. An update on the condition of the woman who was stabbed was not available on Wednesday.

The suspect then attempted to stab another person.

The suspect was then shot by a deputy, falling to the ground and attempting to move toward the deputy who fired again, authorities said. The suspect collapsed in a driveway, approximately 10 to 12 feet from where he initially fell and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A sharp metal object recovered at the scene was found to be a pair of scissors, and authorities determined the suspect was not in possession of the weapon when he was shot by deputies.

The California Department of Justice said it is investigating the shooting under A.B. 1506, a law requiring it to investigate when unarmed civilians are fatally shot by police.

Related Articles