Metro Police say officers fatally shot man armed with knife

By Rich Coleman

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011 | 12:31 a.m.

Two Metro Police officers shot and killed a man Tuesday night who was armed with a knife and allegedly trying to break into houses in the southeastern valley, police said.

Lt. Lew Roberts of Metro’s homicide unit said police responded to several 911 calls from the 4700 block of Fairfax Avenue, near Mountain Vista Street and Hacienda Avenue, about 8:45 p.m. regarding a man attempting to break into people’s homes.

Roberts said patrol units were directed to a home where residents called 911 and reported a man in his 40s had entered illegally. Officers found the man barricaded in a bathroom, police said.

Roberts said the man would not comply with officers' orders and aggressively exited the bathroom armed with a knife. Two officers shot the man, who was transported to Sunrise Hospital and died.

Police were still early in their investigation, and the man’s motives were not known, Roberts said. Police viewed the man as a threat and said residents in the home were in fear.

“The suspect was actively trying to get into several residences on this street by force,” Roberts said. “There were people in the residence; those people had contacted 911. They were in fear.”

As per department policy, Metro will place the two officers on administrative leave and their names will be released 48 hours after the incident.