L.A. County sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot Lancaster man armed with 4-foot ax

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a Lancaster man armed with a 4-foot-long ax Thursday night when he apparently refused to drop the sharp tool even after he was struck several times with a stun gun.

After deputies shot the 45-year-old man, he was taken to an area hospital and died, according to the sheriff’s department. The man’s identity has not been released.

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The ordeal began about 6:48 p.m. when the man and his neighbor got into an argument in the 2800 block of La Vida Drive. At some point during the argument, deputies said the man swung the ax at his neighbor several times and threatened to kill him.

Deputies were called to the man’s home and found him standing in the front lawn. He was armed with the ax.

They asked the man to drop the ax, but he refused to release it and walked toward them, the sheriff’s department said.

That’s when one of the deputies fired several rounds from the stun gun at him, sheriff’s officials said.

The rounds apparently had no effect on the man, they said.

He continued walking toward deputies with the ax partially raised over his head, the sheriff’s department said. As he approached the deputies, they shot him.

It is unclear how many deputies shot the man. Authorities said an investigation is underway.

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