Welfare check in Dana Point ends in deputy shooting; woman hospitalized in critical condition

DANA POINT, Calif. (KABC) -- A welfare check in Dana Point ended in a deputy-involved shooting early Friday morning, leaving a woman hospitalized in critical condition.

It happened just after 4 a.m. in the Ritz Pointe community.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the person who called 911 said they could hear a woman screaming.

When deputies arrived at the home, a woman armed with a knife came out and approached the deputies, the sheriff's department said.

That's when at least one of the deputies fired his weapon, striking the woman. The woman remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Authorities said no one else was inside the home at the time of the shooting, and no deputies were injured.

Lt. Matt Timmins said the department has received at least nine disturbance calls and welfare checks linked to the home.

"There have been several disturbance calls from that same residence referencing screaming from the residence, and so it could be that she was the one screaming," he said.

"This is a safe community, and people are still encouraged to call the police, call the sheriff's department, if they need help in any way," Timmins added. "We do have deputies that will respond to any disturbance calls and see what happening. If someone is in some sort of mental health crisis, or needs help in any way, we have those resources available and we're ready to respond."

The incident remains under investigation.