Officers kill man wielding a knife

Police, responding to a call regarding a suicide, shot and killed a man who they said charged officers with a knife.

According to Lt. Tom Stark, police officers ordered Rodney Sandberg to drop a steak knife he was holding. Multiple Taser shocks administered by three officers were also ineffective, Stark said. Police fired on Sandberg, 23, after he advanced toward them, according to Lt. Lloyd DeGonia. Sandberg was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities would not say how many officers fired their weapons or how many rounds were fired, but Sandberg’s stepfather, Monte Self, said he heard five to six shots.

Self said his stepson had been drinking most of the day and became angered after his family confronted him about his alcohol use. He said Sandberg called police himself, saying someone had committed suicide. Although Sandberg grabbed a knife from the kitchen and threatened to kill himself, his stepfather said Sandberg had calmed down by the time police arrived.

Self said he believed police overreacted. “I don’t feel they needed to do that,” he said, although he said his stepson hollered, “shoot me, shoot me” to the officers.

-- Ruben Vives and Julie Cart