A woman in her 80s and a man in his 50s were found dead Sunday at a Bellflower home after Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call for help and encountered an armed man inside the residence.
The incident unfolded shortly before 1 p.m. Sept. 27 in the 9500 block of Maplewood Street, east of Lakewood Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were responding to what was initially described as a medical emergency. When they arrived, they saw an elderly woman unresponsive inside the home. Authorities said she appeared to be in a large pool of blood.
Deputies entered the residence to check on the woman and look for any other people who might need assistance. During that search, they encountered a man who was armed with a handgun.
A deputy-involved shooting followed, and the man was fatally wounded. Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel later pronounced both the man and the woman dead at the scene.
The identities of the two people have not been publicly released.
Investigators are still determining what happened inside the home
Authorities have not yet established publicly how the woman died or what happened before deputies arrived.
Investigators also have not determined whether the man fired his handgun at deputies. A firearm was recovered at the scene, and officials are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Authorities believe the man and woman knew each other. Investigators have described the incident as isolated and said there was no indication that it was a random act of violence.
Their exact relationship has not been disclosed, and authorities have not confirmed whether both lived at the Maplewood Street residence.
The circumstances surrounding the woman’s death remain a separate part of the investigation.
Deputies were not injured
No sheriff’s deputies were injured during the encounter, according to authorities.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau is investigating the deaths, while the circumstances of the deputy-involved shooting are also being reviewed.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is being asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous information can also be provided through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details about the two deaths and the shooting are expected as authorities continue reviewing evidence from the home.
