A man was pronounced dead at the scene of a deputy-involved shooting on Monday when he was shot after firing his airsoft guns at law enforcement, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The shooting happened at about 5:43 p.m. in the 1200 block of Stichman Avenue in the unincorporated area of West Valinda in the San Gabriel Valley, the department said. Officials were called to the scene when a call about a disturbance came in.
The man at the scene, who was in his 40s, was believed to be under the influence of a narcotic, officials said.
Law enforcement was led into the home by family members, where they discovered the man had locked himself inside a bedroom with what appeared to be a handgun and a rifle, officials said. He left the room through a window that leads into the backyard.
Deputies then went into the backyard, where they saw the man, officials said.
“They observed the suspect, who was armed with what appeared to be a handgun in one hand and a rifle in the other,” Lt. Rodney Moore of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. “The disturbing party fired two rounds from the handgun at the deputies.”
“Fearing for their lives and safety, the deputies fired multiple rounds at the suspect,” Moore said.
The suspect was shot multiple times in the upper chest area, officials said. He died at the scene.
Later, when the guns were inspected, they were discovered to be airsoft guns with non-lethal bullets or pellets.
While the suspect was fatally struck by gunfire, no deputies or family members were injured, officials said.
Captain Tim Murakami of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department tweeted a photo at the scene, confirming all deputies at the scene were OK and the suspect was down.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.