Felix Valdez, 44

Bridgeport, Illinois
October 18, 2013

Chicago police responding to a domestic dispute in the city’s Bridgeport neighborhood early Friday shot and killed a 44-year-old man they say refused to put down knives he was holding.

Officers arrived at a home in the 3200 block of South Halsted Street about 1:10 a.m. and found a man holding two knives and standing over his girlfriend, DNAinfo Chicago reports. The woman had reportedly been beaten before officers arrived.

The man has been identified as 44-year-old Felix Valdez, a father of 10 children who had lived in the apartment for about six months with his girlfriend, NBC Chicago reports. Police had been called there in response to domestic incidents before, according to CBS Chicago.

Fraternal Order Police spokesman Pat Camden said in a statement reported by NBC Valdez was told three times to drop the weapons but refused before approaching the officers. At that point, he says, the officers opened fire in self-defense.