Vandalism female suspect advances towards deputy with a wrench and gets shot by LASD deputies
By: Deputies shot and wounded a woman suspected of vandalism in Covina on Saturday morning.
The shooting occurred just after 10 a.m. in the area of Vincent Avenue and Cypress Street after deputies responded to a vandalism call, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. According to investigators, the woman was reportedly vandalizing several cars in the area.
"As the deputies made their approach through the intersection of Cypress and Vincent, they ultimately ended up seeing the female who, at the time, was holding a pipe wrench in her hand," said LASD Lt. Mike Gomez.
Gomez said at one point, the woman approached a deputy's patrol vehicle.
"It seems as if [the woman] ultimately ended up striking the deputy's patrol vehicle, ended up shattering the rear windshield, at which time the deputy confronted her as she was in the intersection and then ultimately, she charged the deputy with the pipe wrench in hand, which subsequently led to a deputy-involved shooting."
The deputies opened fire and struck the suspect. She was taken to the hospital and remains in critical care. Witnesses said they saw the woman running up and down the street as the incident unfolded.
"They were driving in the middle of the street, and she was just in the middle of the street going back and forth, trying to swing at them, and then they're swerving into oncoming traffic, trying to avoid hitting her at the same time," said one witness who spoke with Eyewitness News.
That same witness even tried to help officers track the woman down.
"Then she started hitting this fence on this property, made it across the street, and hit that guy's car across the street," she said. "I was pointing at her, saying, 'Sir! She's right here! She's right here!"
No deputies were injured. The incident remains under investigation.