Masked Suspect Shot By Deputies In Lake Forest

LAKE FOREST, CA — An armed 24-year-old Mission Viejo man wearing a Halloween mask was shot by sheriff’s deputies after he allegedly assaulted a woman in her home on Kathy Avenue Friday afternoon, according to KTLA reports. Witnesses called the sheriff’s office after the masked and armed man reportedly drove through the Walmart parking lot on Town Centre Drive in Foothill Ranch.

Dispatchers reported multiple calls of a man matching the suspect’s description in a nearby Lake Forest neighborhood near Angela Street, Orange County Sheriff's Department information officer Carrie Braun told Patch. Deputies encountered the suspect and tried to apprehend him.

"During the chase, the suspect entered a residence and assaulted a woman inside of the residence," Braun said.

Additional deputies encountered the suspect near the corner of Kathy Avenue and Hoi Circle in Lake Forest, where the deputy-involved shooting occurred, according to Braun.

Lt. Brad Valentine told reporters that an individual was "running around the street with a weapon, knocking on doors and yelling and screaming."

At this time, there are no additional suspects and no immediate threat to the community. Per protocol, the investigation of the deputy-involved shooting will be handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

There is no word about an arrest or if the suspect still had the weapon at the time of the shooting. It is also unclear what type of weapon the suspect was holding.

"The suspect was injured as a result of the shooting and taken to a local hospital," Braun told Patch. "His condition is unknown. No deputies were injured."

Renee Schiavone, photo