An armed 70-year-old man who was fatally shot by one or more deputies who were serving a search warrant at a residence in Maywood was identified Friday.
The shooting occurred about 5:38 a.m. Thursday in the 6100 block of Clarkson Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“The male adult suspect was struck by gunfire and pronounced deceased on scene,” a sheriff’s department statement said.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office identified the dead man as Miguel Lopez.
Gang unit deputies from the sheriff’s East Los Angeles Station were serving a search warrant at the residence when the shooting occurred, sheriff’s Lt. Hugo Reynaga told KTLA 5.
“Upon walking up to the location, they detained a male individual (who) was sleeping on the front porch,” Reynaga said. “They did their announcements at the door. A female adult came out a side door of the house. They detained her.
“As they were approaching the side door of the house, a male from inside the location got into a verbal confrontation with the deputies at the door while holding a handgun in his hand and pointing it up to the sky,” Reynaga said.
“For several minutes they were trying to de-escalate the situation,” Reynaga said. “The gentleman walked to the side of the door and the gun came down pointing in the direction of the deputies, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
Reynaga said it was unclear if Lopez fired at the deputies.
“We have several gunshots that were heard at the time of the incident, but we don’t know exactly if the male homeowner fired a shot and then the deputies fired back, or if the male homeowner just pointed the firearm and then the deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Reynaga said.
Detectives said Lopez was struck several times in the upper torso and a loaded gun was recovered at the scene.
Reynaga said the relationship between Lopez and the man who was sleeping on the front porch was “unclear,” but he apparently was living on the porch.
Anyone with information about the case was urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.