A man armed with a knife was killed in a deputy-involved shooting in Lake Forest last week.
Police received a call shortly before midnight on February 10th. “The caller stated that a dark-colored truck struck multiple parked vehicles on the street and the driver was refusing to come out of the car,” according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s news release.
Police arrived to find the man locked inside the truck, armed with a knife, refusing to get out of the vehicle or even talk to them. Deputies finally made contact with the man on his cell phone, beginning a nearly three-hour conversation among the man, deputies, and crisis negotiators.
Finally, at nearly 3 AM, “the man exited the vehicle holding the knife and charged at deputies,” according to the release. In response, at least one officer opened fire, and the man was “struck multiple times.”
Officers “provided lifesaving measures” before the man was transported to a hospital, where he underwent surgery for his gunshot wounds; however, he did not survive.
The knife was recovered at the scene.
“Per protocol, the investigation of the deputy-involved shooting will be handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office,” states the release. “Deputies in Lake Forest are equipped with body-worn cameras. Footage from the incident will be released in accordance with the law and in consultation with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.”
