Los Angeles police shot a knife-wielding man Saturday morning at an apartment complex not far from USC. An Annenberg Media reporter witnessed the incident, which happened around 11:52 a.m. at 2139 Oak Street.
Los Angeles Police Department officers, including a helicopter unit and multiple squad cars, arrived at the scene and prevented access to the road. They ordered the man to stop, but fired multiple shots at him when he continued onto Oak Street.
The man was visibly bleeding from the chest and unresponsive after falling to the ground. Officers applied chest-compressions and first aid immediately following the confrontation, and the man was transported away by an ambulance after being loaded onto a gurney.
Lee Duncan, a maintenance technician for a nearby building recalled his experience witnessing the situation.
“My buddy and I were talking while I was sitting at my car, and the next thing you know, we see the guy come downstairs with the knife raised above his head,” Duncan said.
“The officer that was near us saw him, and so that’s when he alerted all the officers in this direction. They tell him, ‘Hey, put the knife down, put the knife down.’ He kept coming. Next thing you know, two officers fired non-lethal rounds at him, and he didn’t fall,” Duncan said.
“The man stumbled, still holding the knife, and they fired some more rounds at him,” Duncan said. Police continued to tell the man to “drop the weapon,” said Duncan, who added that he took a video recording.
Duncan’s video depicts at least 11 officers facing the man in a standoff before firing. On-scene officers declined to comment.
USC DPS issued an alert reading “There is police activity at W. 23rd St & Oak St. but no immediate threat exists. Please stay away from the area” at 11.38 a.m, and followed-up 1:28 p.m. with a similar message.