Man Fatally Shot By Sheriff's Deputies Outside Gym in Ladera Heights

LADERA HEIGHTS, CA -- A man in his 40s was mortally wounded by deputy gunfire in the Ladera Heights area, authorities said Wednesday.

The shooting occurred at 11:05 p.m. Tuesday in the 5000 block of Slauson Avenue, said Deputy Kimberly Alexander of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

Deputies from the Marina Del Rey Station were called to a 24 Hour Fitness in that area at 8:35 p.m. to deal with a man acting erratically, sheriff's Lt. Joe Mendoza told reporters at the scene. The man was escorted out of the business and initially complied, but deputies were called a second time because of the man's behavior.

Deputies returned around 10:45 p.m. to find the man causing a disturbance.

"The suspect was uncooperative and became aggressive towards the deputies," Alexander said, prompting one of the deputies to use a stun gun on the suspect with no effect.

The suspect began to walk away and the deputies followed him a short distance, giving him orders that he did not comply with, she said.

The suspect remained uncooperative and removed a tethered weapon from his backpack and began to swing it over his head, Alexander said.

A stun gun was used again but the suspect continued to swing the weapon over his head and "aggressively move toward one of the deputies," which is when the deputy-involved shooting occurred, Alexander said.

The suspect was struck at least once in the upper body and transported to a local hospital where he died.

No deputies were injured in the incident, she said.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock