(January 23, 2004, updated) -- A LB police officer, responding to a call of a family disturbance in the 2000 block of Myrtle Ave. on January 23 at about 8:50 a.m., ended up facing a man holding a butcher knife and a meat cleaver. LBPD says the armed man, roughly age 20, charged at the officer and family members, refused commands to stop...and was shot and fatally wounded by the officer.

LBPD Public Information Officer Greg Schirmer says that on arrival, the LBPD officer contacted family members who indicated a family member was in the house and causing a disturbance. The officer saw a man in the house holding a knife...who later exited the back of the house holding a butcher knife and a meat cleaver.

PIO Schirmer says the suspect began to charge at the officer and family members; the officer ordered the suspect to stop; the suspect failed to comply; the officer fired his weapon and struck the suspect...who was transported to a local hospital where he died.

Police said the suspect is believed to have a history of mental illness.

As is routine in officer-involed shootings, LBPD Homicide Detectives will be investigating what took place. Anyone with information is asked to call Detectives Richard Birdsall or Chris Cardoza at (562) 570-7244.