Police Wound Man Who Threatened to Commit Suicide

A 79-year-old Van Nuys man, apparently despondent because of failing eyesight, threatened to take his life, but was shot and wounded by a police officer after pointing a gun at her, Los Angeles police said Friday.

Stanley (Bill) Holman, who has lived in the 15000 block of Vose Street for more than 40 years, was in critical but stable condition at Northridge Hospital Medical Center after the shooting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Sgt. Sid Nuckles said Holman’s daughter, whose identity was not released, called police from her Northridge home after talking to her father on the phone and hearing him threaten to kill himself. She told police her father was distraught because of his failing eyesight.

Two police officers arrived at Holman’s house, and he met them at the door to his front porch, holding one hand behind his back, Nuckles said. After speaking with the officers, Holman brought his arm down and the officers saw he was holding a gun, he said.

“They told him to put it down,” Nuckles said. “He pointed it at one of the officers.”

The officer, Victoria Smith, 32, a six-year veteran, feared for her safety and fired at Holman, striking him once in the abdomen, Nuckles said. He collapsed on the front porch.

Nuckles said Holman’s gun was loaded. An investigation of the shooting was continuing Friday, but Holman had not been arrested.

Rose Marks, a neighbor of Holman’s for 33 years, said Holman is known by his neighbors as a good-natured man who four decades ago owned much of the land on which the neighborhood was built.

She said Holman has suffered from eye problems in recent years and had told her previously that he could only see shadows because of cataracts. She said Holman had told her he was scheduled for an eye operation in September. She said neighbors routinely checked on him at his home to see whether he needed help.

Marks suggested that because Holman also has a hearing impairment, he may not have realized he was being confronted by police officers Thursday.

“Sometimes I can stand five feet in front of him, and he still has to ask who I am,” she said. “So maybe he didn’t know who they were.”

But Nuckles said the investigation indicated Holman was aware he was dealing with police officers.

“The officers identified themselves and inquired about his health and talked to him for a few minutes before they saw he had a gun,” Nuckles said.