A suspect repeatedly stabbed himself in a Los Angeles apartment building after police tasers and less lethal impact munitions apparently had little effect on him, a newly released police bodycam video showed.
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers fired a 40-mm less lethal launcher at the suspect, hitting him, as he peered from his doorway while armed with a knife but would not obey orders to put it down and surrender, the video showed. The suspect could be seen reemerging and walking towards the officers, still armed. The officers deployed the launcher and the tasers again but although the weapons slowed the armed suspect down, they neither disabled nor disarmed him as he kept advancing toward the officers in spite of their repeated orders, the video showed.
“I want you to kill me,” the suspect could be heard saying twice while still advancing, leaning on the wall for support. The officers then repeatedly instructed one another to “back up” and “get cover” as their tasers and launchers did not stop the suspect.
“Drop your knife or we’ll shoot you,” the officers yelled.
“I want you to shoot me,” the suspect replied, the video showed. He then held the knife to his abdomen.
“Drop the knife! Don’t do it, sir,” the officers said. But the suspect stabbed himself repeatedly and collapsed to the floor, the video showed. The officers arrested him and recovered his 10-inch knife as evidence. (RELATED: Homicide Suspect Stabs Himself To Death After He’s Struck By Patrol Car, Police Say)
Loc Duong, 67, was wanted for two stabbings on Oct. 26, 2023, per an LAPD statement. The LAPD video included security footage appearing to show Duong slashing at a random person on the street and then stabbing another as soon as he emerged from the elevator in his apartment building.
Emergency personnel transported the suspect and victims to local hospitals, LAPD Captain Kelly Muñiz said in the video. The first victim was treated and in critical condition, while both the second victim and Duong did not survive, Muñiz said.
Investigations and analyses are ongoing, Muñiz added.