Shocking new bodycam footage released by the Los Angeles Police Department captures the moment officers opened fire on a man who threw knives at them during a chaotic confrontation in Boyle Heights, authorities confirmed.
Background
The incident occurred around 1:35 a.m. on May 16, when LAPD's Hollenbeck Patrol Division responded to a home on Orme Avenue near Whittier Boulevard following a 911 call reporting an assault with a deadly weapon in progress. The caller identified herself as the mother of Robert Velasquez, a 40-year-old convicted felon out on parole who was experiencing what she described as a violent paranoid schizophrenic episode.
According to 911 recordings, the woman told dispatchers that Velasquez had jumped a fence and broken into his aunt's house where he was arguing with family members and threatening to kill himself with a knife. "I had already called for him to be taken to a mental hospital and they haven't taken him," she said. "He has a knife, but because he says he wants to kill himself."
Minutes later, additional 911 callers reported Velasquez had fled to nearby Glenn Avenue, screaming and possibly under the influence of narcotics, wearing a black shirt and red shorts. A flood of calls then came in reporting that Velasquez was assaulting a woman at the location on Glenn Avenue.
The Investigation
Officers arrived minutes later and found a family member of Velasquez's outside his home. Bodycam footage shows officers speaking with the family member when Velasquez suddenly burst from the front door, brandishing two knives and a grilling fork.
Police ordered Velasquez to drop the weapons, according to investigators. Instead, he threw one of the knives at the officers. Still armed with another knife and the grilling fork, Velasquez allegedly lunged at the cops, prompting officers to open fire.
Velasquez was struck by gunfire and momentarily fell to the ground. As he attempted to stand back up while still holding a knife and grilling fork, officers opened fire again. "Put it down, put it down," one officer can be heard yelling in the footage. "Stay down!"
The suspect was struck again. He raised his arm and threw the second knife at officers before collapsing. "Help me mama," he cried.
Velasquez sat up and started toward the front door of his house, and an officer opened fire once more—this time using a 40mm foam projectile that finally subdued the suspect. Nine shots were fired in total during the confrontation.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Velasquez, 40, is a convicted felon out on parole with a documented history of paranoid schizophrenia, according to family members who called 911
- Officers recovered two knives and a grilling fork at the scene; no bystanders or officers were injured
- Velasquez was treated at a hospital for his injuries before being transferred to Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles
- LAPD released the bodycam footage and 911 recordings in compliance with department transparency protocols
What's Next
Velasquez is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer. He is being held on $125,000 bail and is due in court July 6 for arraignment. The Los Angeles Police Department and the police commission will evaluate whether officers followed LAPD use-of-force policies during the shooting. "In the next several months, the LAPD will continue to investigate and analyze this incident," said LAPD Captain Mike Bland.