A 24-year-old mentally ill man living at a Highland Park group home for the disabled was fatally shot by a Los Angeles police officer during a confrontation early Sunday, police said.
The man, holding what police described as a sharp object, was shot when he allegedly attempted to stab an officer called to the home because the resident had become violent, said Officer Mike Lopez.
Identified by a group home worker and a relative as Francisco Mondragon, the man died at County-USC Medical Center a short time after the shooting, authorities said.
When police arrived at the Echo Street facility about 2 a.m., Lopez said, the man allegedly lunged at one officer, tearing his shirt sleeve. The officer's partner then fired, Lopez said.