An officer-involved shooting took place inside a Hollywood fast food restaurant after multiple stabbings were reported in the area, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Tuesday.
The shooting was reported around 2 p.m. at the corner of Ivar Avenue and Sunset Boulevard but the number of people injured was unclear, said LAPD Officer Aareon Jefferson.
CNN reporter Maeve Reston witnessed some of the chaos and said on Twitter that she saw a male suspect — who officers later shot — trying to stab people.
“Unclear how many stabbing victims there are, but suspect ran down Sunset Blvd. trying to stab people outside our CNN office in Hollywood,” Reston tweeted at 2:19 p.m.
The suspect reportedly entered the Jack in the Box restaurant on the corner and started stabbing people inside, according to LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez.
Officers responding to the assault with a deadly weapon call confronted the suspect inside the restaurant, “at which time an (officer-involved shooting) occurred,” Ramirez said. “The suspect went down and was taken into custody.”
At least two stabbing victims were transported to local hospitals, Ramirez said, adding that the suspect’s condition was not known and the investigation was ongoing.
Reston later added that the suspect tried to enter a nearby coffee shop but was stopped by a customer.
“B4 (before) Hollywood stabbing suspect shot, tried to come into our fave coffee place (with) his knife, but customer held glass door shut, blocking him.”
The area, which is often full tourists, employees from nearby businesses and patrons of the Arclight Theater, was blocked off by police and emergency vehicles.
