Van Nuys Confrontation : Motel Intruder Slain in Attack on Officer

An Arleta man was shot and killed in a Van Nuys motel by a Los Angeles police officer after the man tried to slash the officer’s partner with a kitchen knife, police said.

Lt. Charles Higbie said Juan A. Toledo, 32, was shot at least once in the chest about noon at the Camino Motel after the officers responded to a complaint about him from the motel’s manager. Toledo died a few minutes later, Higbie said.

Higbie, who investigates all shootings by policemen, said Toledo forced his way into a room at the motel, in the 13500 block of Sherman Way, about 11:30 a.m. and confronted two women. The women, who apparently knew Toledo, called the motel manager, who phoned police after Toledo refused to leave, Higbie said.

When the officers arrived, Toledo still refused to leave, but, by that time, the women were gone, Higbie said.

The officers, who were not immediately identified, entered the room with a pass key and saw Toledo standing shirtless and brandishing a knife, Higbie said. They ordered him to drop the knife, but instead he advanced toward them and slashed at one of the officers, Higbie said.

The other police officer fired six times, striking Toledo at least once, Higbie said. The two then wrestled Toledo to the ground and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:23 p.m., Higbie said.