According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to the 800 block of S. Vermont Avenue around 7:15 a.m. after receiving a call about a man armed with "a sharp object."
"The suspect was described in that call as a male adult who was armed with a sharp object. When the officers arrived to the 800 block of S. Vermont, they encountered that suspect, contacted him, and that's when an officer-involved shooting occurred," said LAPD Capt. Mike Bland.
The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Police said no one else was injured in the shooting. Several business owners believe the suspect broke the glass at one shop and that the sharp object he was allegedly carrying was a large piece of broken glass.
LAPD wouldn't say what exactly happened when officers first approached the man, or why they felt the need to open fire on a suspect reportedly holding a large shard of glass, but the entire encounter is now under investigation.
"Part of the force investigation team is to look at the officer's body-worn video, look for any other video that might be out here, get statements from those officers, as well as any other witnesses that may have been out here at that time," Bland said.
Meanwhile, some nearby residents were surprised to see the sprawling crime scene, which stretched several blocks between 8th Street and Olympic.
The incident remains under investigation.