LAPD officers shoot suspect armed with a lawn edger with a bean bag shotgun before arresting him

Los Angeles: On June 2, 2023, around 11:15 a.m., Wilshire Area patrol officers received a radio call of an Assault with a Deadly Weapon suspect at the medical offices in the 5900 block of Venice Boulevard.

As officers arrived, they observed the suspect, later identified as Uriah Sanders, holding an approximate four-foot spiked lawn edger in his hands. Officers ordered Sanders, who appeared to be suffering from a mental illness, to drop the edger, however Sanders failed to comply. Additional units, a supervisor, a Mental Evaluation Unit, and a less lethal beanbag shotgun were requested.

A tactical plan was formulated to take Sanders into custody. Throughout the 30-minute interaction with Sanders, officers made several attempts to gain his voluntary compliance. Without warning, Sanders began walking towards the officers while armed with the spiked edger. Officers advised Sanders that a less lethal beanbag shotgun would be used if he did not stop, and he failed to comply.

Sanders continued towards the officers, which resulted in one officer discharging a single beanbag shotgun round, striking Sanders in the upper right chest. Sanders fell to the ground and was taken into custody without further incident.

Sanders was taken inside the hospital at that location and was treated for a bruised lung, pulmonary contusion and two rib fractures. Due to Sanders injuries, he was admitted into the hospital.

No officers or other citizens were injured during the incident.