A woman who was fatally shot by Orange County sheriff’s deputies outside a home in Lake Forest Wednesday may have called authorities on her cell phone and falsely reported that a burglary was in progress at the residence, officials said.
Deputies responded to a call of a burglary in progress at the residence in the 22000 block of Loumont Drive, near the intersection of Muirlands Boulevard and Ridge Route Drive, about 1 a.m.
“The deputies arrived on scene (and) they encountered a female across the street from the location,” sheriff’s Lt. Chad Taylor said. “The female was described as in her late 20s and in possession of a handgun. Deputies gave numerous commands to drop the handgun.”
When she did not put down the weapon, she was shot, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Braun.
The woman, whose name was withheld pending family notification, died at a hospital. A gun was recovered at the scene, officials said.
“Deputies contacted the homeowners where the original burglary in progress call was reported, and the homeowners said that they did not call for assistance,” Braun said in a statement issued late Wednesday morning.
“Further investigation revealed that the original call may have originated from a cell phone in possession of the female who was shot, and there was no burglary attempted,” Braun said. “It’s unclear at this time why the woman falsely reported the crime in progress, and the investigation is ongoing.”
Per protocol in shootings involving law enforcement personnel, the investigation will be handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Braun said.