A man was shot and killed by police Wednesday morning after allegedly stabbing his father in their West Valley home, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Officers from the West Valley Patrol Division responded to a call around 8:10 a.m. on Dec. 3 about a “male with mental illness” at a residence on Valerio Street. The call reportedly noted that the man, who had been diagnosed with a mental illness, was acting erratically toward his father inside the home.
While the LAPD did not release the man’s identity, they confirmed on X that he was an adult son with a history of violence toward family members. The son’s brother told police that he came to the house after receiving a call from their mother, who feared for the father’s safety. According to the brother, the son had previously stabbed his father eight years ago and had assaulted their mother, and had been confined to a mental health institute for several years because of prior incidents.
Officers requested additional backup before entering the residence, where they found the man in his father’s bedroom on a bed, allegedly holding a knife and actively stabbing his father. The subject reportedly ignored officers’ commands, prompting an officer-involved shooting. Both the father and the son were pronounced dead at the scene after Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded.
Authorities recovered a pair of scissors and a kitchen knife, which were logged as evidence. No officers or bystanders were injured during the incident.
The Robbery Homicide Division is overseeing the homicide investigation, while the Force Investigation Division is handling the officer-involved shooting review.
The LAPD has not released any additional details about the case.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can text “STRENGTH” to 741-741 to connect with a certified crisis counselor through the Crisis Text Line.
Now the surviving family members are screaming, “Did you have to shoot him”??