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Man Shot By Downey Police Allegedly Charged at Officers With A Knife

A man was fatally shot by Downey police officers about 7 p.m. Wednesday night when he allegedly pulled a knife and charged at them, according to sheriff's detectives.

A man who was fatally shot by Downey police on Wednesday night allegedly charged at a pair of officers with a knife, prompting the shooting, investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. 

The shooting at Firestone Boulevard and Old River School Road occurred about 6:50 p.m. on Oct. 12, said Deputy Mark Pope of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.

Downey officers were assisting the Downey Fire Department with a palm tree fire near a set of railroad tracks when two officers encountered the man and approached him to see if he had information about the blaze, a sheriff's
department release said.

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The man raised a stick he had in his hand, pulled a knife, then 
charged at the officers, prompting both to open fire, according to the Sheriff's Department.

The wounded man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, sheriff's Deputy Pete Gomez said. The man's name was withheld pending notification of his relatives.

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The two police officers were not wounded in the confrontation.

Sheriff's homicide detectives were sent to help Downey police investigate the shooting, Gomez added.


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