While some facts have been confirmed, others remain elusive as investigators continue to search for a connection between a man killed by Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies on Wednesday night and the call they were responding to.
Lt. Patricia Thomas, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detective handling the case, could not confirm if the man was tied to a robbery call that deputies were initially responding to – and said it was a detail that investigators were still trying to figure out.
The man – who has yet to be identified by both the LASD and the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner at the time of this publication – was killed in the Santa Clara riverbed near the intersection of Bridgeport Lane and Island Road on Wednesday at approximately 10:25 p.m.
“Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide investigators are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deputy-involved shooting in Santa Clarita,” read a statement from the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. “Santa Clarita deputies encountered a male adult armed with two knives. The armed male lunged at the deputies and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
The alert stated that knives were recovered at the scene and that no deputies sustained any injuries.
The investigations are performed by, but are not limited to, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau, Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Internal Affairs Bureau.
The office of the Inspector General is also notified and sends a representative to the scene and provides “independent oversight throughout the investigation process.” Once this is done, a review is conducted by the Critical Incident Review Panel to “determine if any immediate actions are warranted.”
“Every aspect of the shooting is reviewed by the Sheriff’s Executive Force Review Committee. Input from Constitutional Policing Advisors is provided during the process,” read the SIB’s statement. “The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Justice System Integrity Division, conducts a legal analysis to determine whether any criminal charges will be filed and if the shooting was legally justified. “
The details surrounding this incident may take days, weeks or even months before being made public.
