Woman dead and three others burned during hostage situation in El Monte

A 70-year-old woman was found dead and two others were burned Wednesday in a house fire that erupted during a hostage situation in El Monte, authorities said.

The woman’s body was found only after police shot a man who had been holding another woman hostage during a domestic dispute, authorities said.

Firefighters first responded to the fiery home about 7:38 a.m. in the 3900 block of Glen Way, Los Angeles County fire officials said. But when firefighters weren’t able to enter the home, they requested help from police.

El Monte police officers arrived to find a man holding a 58-year-old woman hostage at knifepoint, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The man didn’t comply with orders to drop the knife, sheriff’s officials said.

Fearing the man would hurt the woman, an officer fired a shot and struck him in the upper torso. The woman suffered burns to 90% of her body and was taken to an area hospital.

The man was also burned and was taken to an area hospital. He was in critical condition Wednesday.

As flames consumed portions of the home, officers broke several windows in search of additional victims.

Officers found the older woman with stab wounds in a rear bedroom. She died at an area hospital.

A third victim, a 38-year-old man, was also found nearby. He suffered a stab wound to his right arm and had burns throughout his body. He was taken to area hospital.

Homicide detectives say the men and women were related. A motive for the attack was not immediately known.

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