South Bay Shot At by Police While Allegedly Threatening Co-Worker With Chainsaw ID'd

TORRANCE, CA - A man suspected of trying to kill a co-worker with a chainsaw at a storage yard in Torrance and who police fired shots at but did not hit was identified today as 44-year-old Jose Cortez.

The officer-involved shooting occurred about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday after a security guard called police to the storage yard in the 17600 block of Yukon Avenue, Torrance police Sgt. Paul Kranke said.

Cortez was spotted driving erratically in the area, and then was seen using a chainsaw to cause damage, according to reports from the scene.

Officers opened fire, but did not hit Cortez, who was taken into custody and brought to a hospital to be examined, Kranke said.

Kranke said he had no information on the victim, but said Cortez was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism. When asked who the suspect was trying to attack, Kranke said it was "another employee."

ABC7 reported Cortez was chasing his boss with the chainsaw.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock