Police fatally shoot homeless man armed with 2 folding knives (Santa Clarita, California)

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https://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Transparency_111622_SCV_DIS_-Phan_Thomas_Summary_0110.22.pdf

16 November 2022

On November 16, 2022, at approximately 9:35 PM, Santa Clarita Station deputies responded to a restaurant located in the 23000 block of Valencia Boulevard, in Santa Clarita, regarding a call of a possible burglary. Additional information indicated a male wearing a black hoodie and dark blue jeans was responsible for the possible burglary and was walking southbound on Valencia Boulevard toward Creekside Road.

Deputies arrived and located a male, who matched the description of the male described in the call, wearing a dark blue hoodie and blue jeans along the Santa Clara River South Fork Trail behind the 23000 block of Creekside Road. The male was later identified as 40-year-old Thomas Phan.

Deputies contacted Phan, at which time he brandished a knife. The deputies told Phan to put down the knife but he did not comply. Deputies deployed a taser; however, it had no effect. Phan fled on foot from the deputies northbound through the Santa Clara Riverbed and out of view.

The deputies coordinated a containment of the area and an airship to assist in searching for Phan. Deputies searched the Santa Clara Riverbed on foot and located Phan who was armed with two knives, one in each hand. The deputies told him to drop the knives, but Phan ignored their orders. Deputies deployed a taser, but it had no effect. Phan raised the knives in a throwing motion toward the deputies and a deputy involved shooting occurred.

Phan was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground. Deputies approached and rendered aid to Phan until the arrival of Los Angeles County Fire Department. Phan was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.

No other persons were injured during this incident.

Two folding knives, with approximate four-inch blades, were recovered at the scene.

Investigators later determined Phan was not the suspect in the burglary call.

https://signalscv.com/2023/03/coroner-releases-autopsy-report-for-man-shot-by-deputies/

The coroner's narrative does not mention this first attempt to tase Phan, but said Phan was “not obeying the deputy's commands and headed towards the riverbed.”

Once Phan was located in the riverbed, both narratives say deputies attempted to tase Phan — possibly for the second time — but missed. The coroner's narrative states that taser probes were found lodged in a stick.

A total of 10 shots were fired, according to the coroner's report, three of which struck Phan in the arm, thigh and head.

At the time of his death, Phan had no drugs or alcohol in his system, according to his toxicology report.

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