Los Angeles police fatally shoot man wielding ‘sword-type weapon’ in North Hollywood
Los Angeles police officers fatally shot a man who was wielding a bladed weapon, the LAPD said.
At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, officers were called to the 6400 block of Elmer Avenue in North Hollywood for a dispute between neighbors. When they arrived, they tried to approach the home of Rommel Mendoza, 50, who was “screaming at the officers from inside the home,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.
Mendoza came out of his house holding a “wide bladed sword” and “ordered the officers to shoot him,” the LAPD said. The officers drew back to the street, radioed for backup and took cover behind some cars, according to the department.
Mendoza came out on the street, still carrying the sword, the LAPD said. Despite “numerous commands” to stop, Mendoza refused to surrender and advanced toward the officers, prompting them to open fire both with less-lethal munitions and live rounds, the LAPD said.
Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced Mendoza dead at the scene. No officers were injured.
The shooting is under review by a specialized LAPD unit that investigates fatal police shootings. The agency’s inspector general is monitoring the investigation.
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