A man in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) was shot and killed by Los Angeles Police Department auxiliaries after a harrowing ordeal in Koreatown on Thursday morning.
According to a media release from the Los Angeles Police Department, the parents of Yang, 40, said Yang was exhibiting “erratic and threatening behavior” in the 400 block of South Gramercy Place just before 11 a.m. The incident was reported to the Department of Mental Health.
DMH had previously conducted an earlier investigation and told responding officers that Yang, who had bipolar disorder with schizoaffective disorder and did not live at the scene, was a danger to others. I was told that I had been judged.
In addition, mental health officials confirmed to officers that they had completed the necessary paperwork to place him on a 72-hour psychiatric hold, the Los Angeles Police Department said. A DMH ambulance was also on its way to the scene to transport Yang to a nearby hospital.
“In an effort to assist DMH personnel, officers requested additional units and supervisors and notified the department's Psychiatric Evaluation Division,” law enforcement officials said. “We made several attempts to communicate with Mr. Yang and ask him to leave the residence, but Mr. Yang refused.”
Officers then obtained keys to the residence and ascended a narrow staircase leading to the front door. They announced their presence, went inside and observed Yang standing several feet away holding a large kitchen knife.
Yang refused commands to drop the weapon and ran toward the officers, who opened fire.
“Mr. Yang was struck by gunfire and dropped the knife, but was taken into custody without incident,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. “Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Mr. Yang dead.
Police added that an 11-inch kitchen knife with a 6-inch blade was recovered from the scene.
Investigators from the Military Investigation Division are investigating the incident. There were no injuries to local residents or officers.
