Authorities said the deputy-involved shooting happened in the 4800 block of Ivy Street at 5:54 a.m. Deputies responded to a residence after receiving a call of a family disturbance.
When they arrived, deputies found a 76-year-old woman outside the residence. She told deputies her 56-year-old son, who lives with her and was under the influence of drugs, had assaulted her and she was worried that he might hurt her bedridden husband, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The woman's son, Jesus Ruben Rojo, came out of the house with a machete and advanced towards the deputies, according to Corina, at which time the deputies fired bean bag rounds at the man. But their efforts were of no avail, Rojo went back into the house and began screaming that he was going to kill his father, Corina said.
Believing the suspect's father was in danger of being harmed, the deputies broke down the door and entered the residence. They witnessed Rojo swinging the machete and yelling obscenities outside his father's room.
A deputy used a Taser on the suspect, causing him to fall to the floor. But when deputies tried to take Rojo into custody, he picked up the machete and struck one of the deputies on the arm. At that time, two other deputies fired several shots at the suspect, according to Corina.
Rojo was taken to an area hospital where he was treated for multiple gunshot wounds and is expected to survive.
The deputy who was struck by the machete was wearing a jacket at the time and was injured. No other deputies or the man's father were injured in the incident.
Anyone with information about this incident was encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. To remain anonymous, call the Los Angeles Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS or text the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637).
