Police Shoot Woman Wielding Knife In Downtown LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police have shot a woman wielding a knife in Downtown L.A., according to reports Friday.

The woman, who is believed to be in her 50s, has been transported to a hospital with at least one gunshot wound. She was listed in serious condition.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. Friday at the St. George Hotel in the 100 block of East Third Street, according to LAPD Officer Cleon Joseph.

The building is managed by the nonprofit organization Skid Row Housing Trust, which provides housing to people who are homeless or on welfare. Many of the residents have a mental disability, according to other residents in the neighborhood.

Officers were responding to a disturbance call, knocked on a resident's door and were met by the woman holding a knife, according to LAPD Detective Gus Villanueva. "An officer-involved shooting then ensued."

A man who lives on the fifth floor of the building, where the shooting reportedly occurred, said he overheard what happened.

"She was arguing with the cops, but I didn't know they were the cops. She was swearing a lot...I heard a man's voice say, 'Stand back, stay away,' the resident said. "She might have had a knife, I don't know. So then I turned my radio down a little bit and I then I heard a gunshot. I thought maybe I was imagining it."

Several residents of the building told CBS2/KCAL9 reporter Dave Lopez the woman has shown signs of mental instability.

"She's always fighting with people on the fifth floor," the man said.

The woman has not yet been identified. It was unclear if she had threatened anyone with the knife.

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