Man Wielding Grilling Fork And Knives Shot By Police, Authorities Say

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles police shot a man who threw a knife at officers while also armed with a second knife and a grilling fork, according to authorities.

Officers responded around 1:45 a.m. Saturday to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in progress at a home in the 3000 block of Glenn Avenue in Boyle Heights, where they were met outside the residence by a family member of the armed person, police said.

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“While officers were conducting their investigation, the suspect, later identified as 40-year-old Robert Velasquez, emerged from the residence with two knives and a grilling fork,” according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.

“The officers gave verbal commands to Velasquez to drop the weapons, but he did not comply. Velasquez threw one of the knives in the officers’ direction and while still armed with one knife and the grilling fork, an Officer-Involved Shooting occurred.”

Velasquez fell to the ground but started to get back on his feet, still holding the knife and fork, “resulting in a second Officer-Involved Shooting,” according to the news release.

Struck by gunfire, he collapsed, but, refusing arrest, sat up and began moving toward the home’s front door, “resulting in the use of an intermediate force option,” the news release said.

Velasquez was then taken into custody and brought to a hospital, according to police. No one else was hurt, and the knives and fork were recovered at the scene, police said.

The department’s Force Investigation Division is investigating the incident, according to police.