Deputies opened fire, killing a man, while responding to a disturbance in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles Wednesday morning.
The shooting took place around 6:55 a.m. in the 9200 block of Graham Avenue, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Aerial video from Sky5 showed an investigation taking place on the street between an apartment building and some railroad tracks.
The person shot by deputies, described by law enforcement only as an adult male suspect, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said that the man had been in the neighborhood threatening employees at a nearby food processing business earlier in the day, prompting deputies to respond to the area.
He then allegedly went to a white pickup truck and pulled out a machete before getting into a physical altercation with the deputies.
“He punched one deputy and then he kicked another deputy,” Sheriff’s Department Lt. Derrick Alfred said.
Deputies called for backup but Alfred said the suspect continued to be aggressive.
“He charged them with a knife. They fired less-lethal rounds and a Taser, which were ineffective … He continued forward with a knife and a deputy involved shooting occurred,” Alfred said.
The suspect has not been identified.
No deputies were injured in the incident.
L.A. Metro tweeted that service was interrupted on its A Line, which was formerly known as the Blue Line, between Florence and 103rd Street due to police activity.
Buses were requested to assist passengers.