Police responding to a call about a runaway girl fatally shot a man inside a house in Long Beach Friday.
Officers were sent to the 2300 block of Eucalyptus Avenue about 8:10 a.m. to assist in locating the girl, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
During the investigation, police shot a man.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a responding officer made contact with the person who called police and determined that the girl was inside a residence with a man with whom she had a prior relationship, police said.
The officer also learned there was an valid restraining order on file prohibiting the man from having contact with the girl and there was a history of multiple domestic violence cases on file involving the two, police said.
Police shot the man after he armed himself with a knife and began arguing with the girl.
"Fearing for the safety of the parties, the officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect," police said.
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A knife was recovered.
Authorities withheld the man's name because they hadn't notified his relatives.
As is standard in such cases, the shooting will be investigated by the Long Beach police Homicide Detail as well as the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Neighbors said they awoke to the sounds of shouting, yelling and then gunfire.
Karen Garcia said she could hear the commotion from next door.
"I could hear a woman break down crying then someone screaming 'Put down the knife,' then six to eight gunshots," she said.
Roy Ferguson was walking his son to school when the shots rang out.
"When I was outside I heard two to three shots and people started ducking behind cars," he said.
Lafayette Elementary School nearby was briefly placed on lockdown.
Neighbors said police had been called to the residence more than once.
"He was all crazy. Wild. Wild hair and another time police had to come again," Joseph Blake said. "It's the same dude right here."
Hetty Chang contributed to this report.
