A man being detained by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) was shot and killed by assisting Los Angeles Police Department officers after a harrowing ordeal in Koreatown on Thursday morning.
According to an LAPD media release, the parents of the man – identified as 40-year-old Yong Yang – called the mental health department after Yang exhibited “erratic and threatening behavior” just before 11 a.m. in the 400 block of South Gramercy Place.
The DMH had already conducted a previous investigation and told responding officers that Yang, who was bipolar with schizoaffective disorder and did not live at the location, was determined to be a danger to others.
In addition, mental health officials confirmed to officers that they had completed the necessary paperwork to place him on a 72-hour mental evaluation hold, LAPD said. A DMH rescue ambulance was also en route to the location to transport Yang to a nearby hospital.
“In their efforts to assist DMH personnel, the officers requested additional units, a supervisor and notified the department’s Mental Evaluation Unit,” law enforcement officials said. “Several attempts were made to communicate with Yang and encourage him to exit the residence, but he refused.”
Officers later obtained a key to the residence and ascended a narrow staircase which led to the front door. They announced their presence, and upon entering, they observed Yang standing several feet away armed with a large kitchen knife.
Refusing commands to drop the weapon, Yang ran towards officers, who opened fire.
“Yang was struck by gunfire, dropped the knife and was taken into custody without further incident,” LAPD said. “Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Yang deceased.
An 11-inch kitchen knife with a six-inch blade was recovered from the scene, police added.
Force Investigation Division investigators are looking into the incident. No community members or officers were injured.