Neighbors said they called 911 after hearing three shots in the 12700 block of Woodley Avenue around 11 p.m. Monday. The supsect was said to be firing shots in the front yard of his home.
When police arrived on scene, they say he was armed with a semiautomatic rifle and a semiautomatic handgun. He was going in and out of his home from the backyard when officers made contact with him, and the officer-involved shooting occurred.
"The officers were communicating with him to drop his weapons and to surrender," said Los Angeles Police Lt. Brian Gilman. "At that point, the officer-involved shooting ensued."
No officers were injured, Los Angeles police Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz said.
Police say it is unclear why the man began firing shots in his yard. But neighbors believe it may have been because he did not like that his neighbor was feeding cats, and he blamed the cats for killing his bird.
Neighbors told Eyewitness News the suspect had a history of paranoid behavior and shooting his guns in the neighborhood. They also said he had lived on Woodley Avenue since 1974. He was married, but they hadn't seen his wife in about two months. Neighbors say about six years ago, he barricaded himself in his home, resulting in a standoff with police.
"There was some indication that he suffered from mental illness, but we are still very, very early in the investigation," said Gilman.
Police describe the suspect as a male Hispanic in his 60s. His name has not been released. Police say he does have a criminal history. It is unclear if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
The investigation is ongoing.
