A woman allegedly armed with a knife was shot and killed by police in Baldwin Hills after officers responded to a report of a robbery Wednesday, police said.
About 1:40 p.m., officers received a report of a knife-wielding woman demanding money in the 3700 block of Santa Rosalia Drive, said Officer Jane Kim, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
The woman was shot during a confrontation with police in an alley, police said. She was declared dead at the scene.
Police did not say what led to the shooting, but claimed it happened after officers first tried to use a stun gun on the woman.
Witness Courtyana Franklin had just pulled into the alley when she said she heard at least three shots fired.
"She was running from them," Franklin said. "I hear a report saying they tasered her first. I didn't see any of that. All I saw was a person running down the alley towards my car.
"I don't understand how police can have a bullet-proof vest and then say this woman had a knife and you three policemen cannot take her down."
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The woman was in her 30s, police said. Her name was not immediately released.
Police were interviewing at least one witness. Franklin said she hasn't spoken to investigators and has her own questions.
"They're not looking at us as humans and that is very sad," Franklin said. "It's happening too close to home, all over the United States, and it's just really, really sad."
