A police officer shot and killed a stabbing suspect he was chasing down following an attack at a Signal Hill grocery store Monday afternoon, officials said.
Signal Hill police officers initially responded to a report of a person stabbed at the Food 4 Less on the 1000 block of Willow Street shortly before 1 p.m., said Lt. Charles Calderaro with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which is investigating the police shooting.
While en route, police were told a potential suspect was fleeing west on Willow Street, and when officers arrived they were flagged down and pointed in that direction, Calderaro said.
One officer headed west on Willow and spotted someone matching the suspect description. When the officer made contact with the man, he allegedly refused to cooperate.
At some point, the man pulled out a knife and attacked the officer, prompting the officer to open fire, according to Calderaro.
The suspect was struck at least once in the upper torso. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The stabbing victim was also hospitalized and later listed in stable condition. Deputies planned to interview him about the attack, Calderaro said.
Investigators say they recovered a large knife at the scene. They also hope to review video from the officer’s body-worn camera and will be looking for surveillance video from nearby businesses.
No further details were immediately available.
