KTLA

Deputies were called on girl for ‘mental health crisis’ minutes before her death

Austin Turner, Jas Kang, and Kimberly Cheng

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call reporting that a girl was suffering from a “mental health crisis” just 15 minutes before she died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the nearby sheriff’s station, officials confirmed Monday morning.

Sheriff’s say the City of Industry station received a family disturbance call from the girl’s foster parents at 7:25 p.m. In the call, they told authorities the girl was having a “mental health crisis” and requested help on Clintwood Avenue in the city of La Puente.


Deputies arrived at the scene but the girl had already left on foot. Nobody knew her destination, officials said.

Deputies close off the area outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department station in the city of Industry. Authorities allege a juvenile female stole a gun from a deputy and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 24, 2024. (KTLA)
Deputies close off the area outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department station in the city of Industry. Authorities allege a juvenile female stole a gun from a deputy and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 24, 2024. (KTLA)
Deputies close off the area outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department station in the city of Industry. Authorities allege a young girl stole a gun from a deputy and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 24, 2024. (KTLA)
A group of deputies outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in the city of Industry. There was a physical altercation inside the lobby, where authorities allege that a young girl stole a deputy’s gun and shot herself. The juvenile girl died at the scene on March 24, 2024. (KTLA)

Around 7:40 p.m., the girl, identified only as a Hispanic juvenile, knocked on the front door of the sheriff’s station in the City of Industry — about one mile from the address deputies were sent to. She then “lunged” inside the lobby and grabbed a deputy’s gun.

A struggle ensued but armed with the deputy’s firearm, the young girl suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She died at the scene.

The sheriff’s department said the investigation was still in its early stages. No additional details, including the age of the girl, were immediately made available.