Sheriff’s officials said deputies were working a nearby eviction when a customer alerted them to a suspected theft at the business.
CLAREMONT, CA — Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a man Monday morning after authorities said he ran from a Claremont gas station and charged at deputies while carrying a large kitchen knife.
The shooting happened about 9:40 a.m. Sept. 21 in the 800 block of South Indian Hill Boulevard, near the 10 Freeway, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said the deputies had been assisting with a court-ordered eviction nearby when a customer told them about a possible theft at a neighboring Chevron gas station.
Sheriff’s officials said deputies approached the gas station to investigate. The man then ran out of the business and charged toward the deputies while armed with a knife, according to the department’s preliminary account. Deputies opened fire, striking him. The man died at the scene.
The Sheriff’s Department described the man as being in his 30s or 40s. His name had not been released as of Tuesday morning. Authorities said investigators recovered a large kitchen knife at the scene. No deputies were injured.
The shooting occurred at a commercial area near South Indian Hill Boulevard and American Avenue that includes a Chevron station and a McDonald’s. The Claremont Courier reported the shooting occurred at about 9:38 a.m. at the property at 860 S. Indian Hill Blvd. Police, fire personnel and sheriff’s investigators responded, and nearby streets and businesses were affected as authorities examined the scene.
Early reports from the scene provided fewer details about what led to the confrontation. The Los Angeles County Fire Department initially said its personnel had responded to assist deputies with a person who had suffered a gunshot wound and that no patient was taken to a hospital. Later reporting, based on additional information from the Sheriff’s Department, said the encounter began after deputies were alerted to the suspected theft.
The Sheriff’s Department’s account that the man charged deputies with a knife represents the agency’s preliminary description of the encounter. Authorities had not publicly released body-camera footage or a detailed sequence showing the moments immediately before deputies fired as of Tuesday morning. The number of deputies who fired and the number of shots fired also had not been publicly detailed in the reports reviewed.
The man had not been publicly identified, and authorities had not released further information about the reported theft or said what, if anything, was taken from the gas station. No criminal charges were filed because the man died at the scene. Investigators also had not released additional information about the deputies involved.
Deputy-involved shootings that result in injury or death are subject to investigation and review in Los Angeles County. The Sheriff’s Department maintains records of such shootings, while the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office reviews evidence in many officer-involved shootings to determine whether an officer’s use of deadly force complied with California law.
The investigation into the Claremont shooting remained ongoing Tuesday. Authorities had not announced when additional evidence, including any available body-camera footage, would be released.
Author note: Last updated September 22, 2026.