Los Angeles police shot and killed a burglary suspect allegedly armed with a knife Monday following a nearly four-hour barricade in the Mid-City area, authorities said.
Officers were sent to the 2600 block of South Halm Avenue about 3:20 a.m. on a report of a burglary in progress, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Three “possible suspects” were taken into custody by police in a vehicle near the residence, and officers “saw smoke coming from the house and requested LAFD,” an LAPD statement said.
“LAFD entered the house and found a man armed with a knife,” police said. “LAFD exited, and LAPD set up containment on the house.”
About 5:15 a.m., there was an “encounter” between the officers and the suspect, LAPD Detective Meghan Aguilar told reporters at the scene.
“Officers did encounter that suspect, who was armed with a knife,” Aguilar said. “They used a beanbag shotgun. The suspect ran back into the home — further in. At that point, they declared a barricade, and LAPD SWAT was requested. That was around 5:15 this morning.
“As SWAT arrived, they began to assume the roles that the West LA officers had been in, and the suspect came out one of the side windows,” Aguilar said. “He was still armed with a knife, and there was an officer-involved shooting.”
Aguilar said the suspect was struck by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene. She added that a large knife was near that suspect.
The shooting occurred about 7:05 a.m., police said.
Information was not immediately available on the identity of the fatally wounded man. No other injuries were reported.
