Man dies after being shot by deputies while using son as human shield in Paramount, LASD says

PARAMOUNT, Calif. (KABC) -- A man has died after being shot by deputies Thursday while he was holding his 2-year-old son and a gun in Paramount, authorities said Saturday.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed the man's death in a statement to ABC7. His identity was not released.

The suspect was holding the child in his arm and using him as a human shield at the time of the shooting, according to the Sheriff's Department. The boy was unharmed.

The shooting happened just before 10 p.m. Thursday in the 8000 block of Alhambra Avenue in Paramount. Deputies arrived to the scene after a caller reported her boyfriend was outside armed with a gun.

"For an excess of twenty-five minutes, deputies attempted to deescalate the situation by attempting to negotiate the release of the toddler and having the male relinquish the firearm," the Sheriff's Department said in a statement. "The male refused to comply and subsequently pointed the handgun at deputies at which point a deputy-involved shooting occurred. The male was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground."

How many shots were fired in the confrontation was unclear.

Paramedics transported the wounded suspect to a hospital, where he later died.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. If you'd like to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit the Crime Stoppers website.