Police: Woman Brandishing Knife In Long Beach Shot, Killed By Officers
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) – A woman who was reportedly threatening people with a knife died after being shot by Long Beach police Sunday morning.
Long Beach police confirmed Sunday evening that the woman had passed away at a hospital after being in critical condition.
At about 11:15 a.m., Long Beach police responded to a report of a woman with a knife in the area of East 7th Street and the Pacific Coast Highway. Witnesses told police the suspect had threatened people at a Jack In The Box restaurant.
A homeless woman named Valerie Simpson told CBS2 that she was standing outside the restaurant eating when the suspect approached her with a knife.
"She was calling me all kinds of nasty names and said she was going to stab me and kill me," Simpson said.
A friend came to Simpson's rescue, while a Good Samaritan attempted to escort the suspect down 7th Street toward the VA Long Beach Healthcare System.
At some point, two officers reportedly made contact with the suspect at 7th Street and Bellflower Boulevard.
Kathryn Turner was driving by at the time. She told CBS2 she was stopped at a traffic light when she saw two police cruisers pull up and two officers get out and confront the suspect.
"(An officer said) 'drop the knife or I'm going to shoot you,'" Turner said.
Police then fired several shots at the suspect. Turner described hearing up to 14 gunshots.
The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital, where she she succumbed to her injuries.
The number of officers who fired on the suspect and the exact circumstances that precipitated the shooting were not disclosed. The suspect was not identified.
Police said they also used a stun gun on the woman but it was ineffective.
No officers were injured. Traffic in the area was shut down for several hours following the shooting.
