Knife-wielding man fatally shot by Long Beach police at arcade

Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Knife-wielding man killed by Long Beach police at arcade
Long Beach police fatally shot a knife-wielding man at a popular arcade in Long Beach on Monday night.

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Long Beach police fatally shot a knife-wielding man at a popular arcade in Long Beach on Monday night.

Authorities were dispatched to Looff's Lite-A-Line Casino Game of Skill in the 2500 block of N. Long Beach Boulevard at 10:08 p.m. in response to a report of an armed man inside the business.

The suspect was allegedly waving his knife, prompting customers to flee the arcade in fear, Long Beach police Sgt. Brad Johnson said.

The man refused to follow police officers' orders to drop his knife. Long Beach police officers tried to subdue him using less than lethal force, but it was ineffective and an officer-involved shooting occurred.

"Officers tried a less-lethal electronic control device and baton and neither less-lethal force was effective," Johnson said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or customers were injured, and a knife was recovered at the scene.

Officials say the man may have been asked to leave the arcade previously.

Northbound Long Beach Boulevard was closed from Burnett to Willow streets until about 6:30 a.m. as police investigated.