LAPD Releases Video Of Fatal Shooting Of Sikh Man In Downtown LA

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA -A 35-year-old Sikh man, Gurpreet Singh, was fatally shot by Los Angeles police after a brief pursuit involving a machete-like weapon, the LAPD confirmed. The incident, which took place on July 13 near Crypto.com Arena, was captured on bodycam video released by the department.

The confrontation began after officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a man, later identified as Singh, swinging a large blade at passersby at the intersection of Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard. According to police, Singh had stopped his car in the middle of the street and was waving the weapon.

In the bodycam footage, Singh, who is reported to be a resident of Arcadia, is seen brandishing the blade in what some have identified as “Gatka,” a form of traditional Sikh martial arts. He also appeared to cut his tongue with the blade. The weapon, initially described as a two-foot-long machete, was later identified by some sources as a “khanda,” a double-edged sword used in Indian martial arts.

Officers Michael Orozco and Nestor Espinoza Bojorquez arrived on the scene and repeatedly ordered Singh to drop the weapon. The police department stated in an update that Singh failed to comply, instead throwing a water bottle at the officers before getting back into his car and driving away.

Police initiated a brief pursuit in which Singh drove erratically, waving the blade out of his car window. The chase ended when Singh’s vehicle collided with a police car near Figueroa and 12th Streets. As officers approached, Singh reportedly charged at them with the weapon, at which point gunfire erupted.

Singh was shot and taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The machete was recovered at the scene and is being held as evidence. The shooting remains under investigation.