Suspected church arsonist is fatally shot by police
A man suspected of being a sword-wielding arsonist who wounded one person and set fire to two bungalows at a church in Lake View Terrace earlier this week was shot to death by Los Angeles police Wednesday night, authorities said.
The man, whose name was not released, was killed in the Tujunga Wash area, near the Foothill Freeway, about 6:30 p.m., said police spokesman Jason Lee.
The site was close to the All Nations Church, in the 10000 block of Foothill Boulevard, where an assault and fire occurred Tuesday, Lee said.
Police had been investigating the earlier incident, in which a man dressed in Army fatigues went inside the church and brought his sword down on the arm of a man playing the drums, when they spotted the suspect Wednesday evening. He fled into the wash, where a confrontation with officers ensued, police said.
The man was described as white, about 35 to 40 years old.
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