Man with machete fatally shot by deputies in Florence-Firestone neighborhood
A man authorities say was armed with a machete was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies Wednesday morning in the Florence-Firestone area.
The shooting happened at about 6:55 a.m. near 92nd Street and Graham Avenue after deputies responded to the neighborhood to check out reports of a man with a machete, trying to assault employees at a business.
At the scene, they found Agustine Flores sitting in the cab of a white Nissan pickup truck. Sheriff's officials say the 40-year-old man punched and kicked two deputies before picking up the machete from inside the pickup truck. Flores allegedly swung the machete and walked toward the deputies, who first used "less lethal weaponry" to try to subdue him.
When he kept walking toward the deputies, several opened fire.
Flores died at the scene.
Residents in the area said the barrage of bullets woke some of them up, and it sounded like as many as 20 shots were fired.
Distraught family members came to the scene and did not want to speak on camera. They said Flores was possibly visiting his sister who lived in the area.
Two deputies sustained minor injuries as a result of being punched and kicked by the suspect, sheriff's officials said.
Service on the nearby Metro A Line, formerly known as the Blue Line, was interrupted between the Florence Station and the 103rd Street/Watts Towers Station. Buses are being requested to transport rail passengers, but commuters who haven't yet gotten on the train should consider Line 55 for alternate service, according to Metro.
