Woman hospitalized after LAPD officers open fire in Baldwin Hills
A woman was hospitalized after she was tased by Los Angeles Police Department officers in Baldwin Hills on Monday.
It happened just after 11 p.m. in the 3900 block of Ursula Street, according to a statement from the department. They say that officers were called to the area after receiving reports of a person who had broken several windows at an apartment complex.
Upon arrival, they found a woman inside of her apartment at the location.
"The suspect was holding a large metal grate over her head and advanced towards officers," they said. "An officer deployed a TASER but it was ineffective and an Officer-Involved Shooting occurred."
Despite earlier reports that the woman was struck by gunfire and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, it was later revealed that she was hospitalized for the puncture wounds she suffered from the taser.
On Friday, police released additional information on the incident, including the woman's identity. She was identified as 37-year-old Tiffany Shanae Ruffus.
"Officers attempted to communicate with Ruffus; however, she refused to comply with commands," said a separate statement from LAPD issued on Jan. 24.
They were able to retrieve a key for her unit, which they used to open the front door, at which point Ruffus allegedly rushed towards them with a stove grate, police said.
Police say that a Taser was used, but it was ineffective against Ruffus, who continued to swing the grate. It was then that they opened fire.
She ran into a bedroom at the back of the unit where she was ultimately arrested after surrendering to officers, the statement said.
Ruffus was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and remains behind bars in lieu of $50,000, according to jail records.
No other injuries were reported.
An investigation into the gunshots fired by police is underway.
