Los Angeles County investigators said on Monday that deputies shot dead a man who was advancing with a machete after carrying the gun to a woman's throat.
The shooting took place in Whittier, about 30 kilometers east of Los Angles, after a correspondent reported to a man that he was hitting and shouting at a neighbor's door while holding the knife , according to the sheriff's department.
The deputies said they found the suspect inside the house. Family members identified him as Antonio "Tonito" Vasquez, 37, who they said had a history of mental illness.
The police found the suspect in the garage, holding the knife in a woman's throat. He reportedly advanced to them and ordered him to drop the gun, the station added. The LASD said three of the four deputies opened fire. Vasquez was declared dead on the scene.
Sheriff Derrick Alfred's Lieutenant told KABC: "At that time, time was running out for a mental assessment team. We had to act.
The three deputies were put on administrative leave pending an investigation. Neither the deputies nor the woman were injured in the incident.
