Police Shot Kills Man Holding Knife Over Bleeding Girlfriend

A 27-year-old man holding a butcher knife over his bleeding girlfriend as she pleaded for help was shot and killed by a Los Angeles police officer in North Hollywood, authorities said Friday.

The man, whose name was being withheld until his next of kin are notified, collapsed and died immediately, said Lt. William Hall.

Police went to the home of Dorothy McCleod in the 11800 block of Kling Street about 10:55 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a domestic argument, Hall said.

Hearing a woman’s screams, Officer Timothy Brausam, a five-year police veteran, forced open the front door of the home and saw the man struggling with McCleod on the living room floor, Hall said.

Brausam told the man to drop the knife and, when he did not do so, fired one round from his .38-caliber revolver, Hall said.

The officer was not in danger but feared the man was about to stab McCleod, Hall said.

The bullet struck the victim’s left shoulder and traveled through his body.

McCleod, 44, was taken to the Medical Center of North Hollywood, where she was released after treatment for deep cuts in her right hand and superficial cuts to her neck, Hall said.

Brausam, 26, was uninjured.

Police had been called to McCleod’s home an hour before the shooting to investigate a report of a domestic dispute, but the house was dark and quiet and no one answered the door, Hall said.

After the shooting, police recovered a knife with a six-inch blade.