Bodycam: Calif. Deputy Takes Down Man Wielding Machete at Station

Feb. 27, 2025

A 34-year-old man armed with a machete was fatally shot when he continued to advance on a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy assigned to the Lakewood Station in Paramount.

Joe Vince

A Los Angeles County deputy stopped a machete-wielding man who charged at him at an agency substation last month, fatally shooting the individual.

The shooting happened shortly after midnight Jan. 30 when a sheriff's deputy assigned to Lakewood Station in Paramount heard loud banging, a release from the department stated. As he drove through the parking lot to investigate, he spotted a 34-year-old man—identified as Juan Alvarez—carrying a machete.

When Alvarez saw the deputy, the man charged at him. The deputy got out of his cruiser and told Alvarez to stop advancing, but he wouldn't comply. As Alvarez continued to advance, the deputy opened fire.

Alvarez was struck, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured during the incident.

The shooting is under investigation.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.