Sheriff’s deputies shoot and kill man allegedly armed with machete in South L.A.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a man who was allegedly armed with a machete in the Florence-Graham neighborhood in South Los Angeles on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Deputies received reports of a man armed with a machete and threatening employees at a business in the 9100 block of Graham Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. When they arrived, they were directed to a man walking south, away from the business on Graham Avenue.

Deputies found the man seated inside a white Nissan pickup truck. He allegedly punched and kicked the deputies after they made contact with him and then he retrieved a machete from inside the truck, authorities said. The man allegedly swung the machete at the deputies as he approached them and the deputies tried to subdue him by using less-lethal weapons, but they were ineffective, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The man allegedly continued to approach the deputies and that’s when they shot him, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The man, described as 44 years old, was shot around 6:55 a.m., according to the Sheriff’s Department. He died at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Department said the shooting is under investigation. No other information was available.

The deputies suffered minor injuries from being kicked and punched by the suspect, according to authorities.

Anyone with information about the shooting was urged to call the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.