Naked Man With a Sword Confronts LAPD — Officers Use Taser

The body-camera footage gives viewers a close look at the moments surrounding the encounter. The officers had to assess the situation almost immediately while dealing with a person who was reportedly holding a potentially dangerous weapon.

The Man Approaches the Police Vehicle

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the man did not remain at a distance after officers arrived. Instead, he approached the police vehicle while holding the sword.

The situation became more serious when the man struck the hood of the patrol car with the weapon. That action brought the weapon into close proximity to the officers and created an immediate safety concern.

At that point, the officers had to decide how to stop the confrontation without allowing the situation to escalate further. The department's account states that both officers exited the vehicle and deployed their TASER devices.

Officers Try a Less-Lethal Option

The use of a TASER became the central moment of the encounter. Rather than immediately using their firearms, the officers deployed their electronic control devices as the man remained armed with the sword.

The department reported that the TASER struck the man, causing him to fall to the ground. Officers were then able to move in and take him into custody without further incident.

The footage is striking because the entire encounter develops in a very short period of time. A person standing near a police vehicle can suddenly become a serious threat when a weapon is involved, leaving officers only seconds to react.

The Suspect Is Taken Into Custody

Once the man was on the ground, officers were able to secure him. According to LAPD, no officers were injured during the incident.

The man was transported to a hospital after sustaining an injury related to the TASER deployment. LAPD also reported that he was placed on a 5150 hold under California law, which is used in circumstances involving an individual who may require an emergency mental-health evaluation.

CBS Los Angeles reported that the man was taken to a hospital for a mental-health evaluation and was not charged with a crime in connection with the incident.

Why the Encounter Required a Police Investigation

Although the confrontation ended without gunfire, it was still classified by LAPD as a categorical use-of-force investigation. The department's Force Investigation Division responded and assumed responsibility for reviewing the incident.

Investigators verified that the man had been admitted to the hospital for injuries associated with the use of force. LAPD stated that the investigation would examine the circumstances surrounding the officers' actions.

Use-of-force investigations are important because the video can be reviewed alongside officer reports, witness accounts, physical evidence, and other available information. A short body-camera clip can show what happened during the confrontation, but investigators also need to understand what led to it.

Bodycam Footage Shows the Critical Seconds

The bodycam perspective makes the encounter particularly intense. Viewers can see the officers dealing with the armed man at extremely close range, while the patrol vehicle and surrounding area remain part of the scene.

The footage also illustrates why police encounters involving weapons can change so quickly. Officers responding to a call may not know exactly what they will encounter until they arrive. In this case, the department said the man approached them with a sword and struck the patrol vehicle.

That left very little time for officers to establish control.

The Sword Creates an Immediate Safety Concern

A sword presents a different challenge from many other objects officers encounter during calls. Its potential reach means that distance becomes an important factor. An officer standing only a few feet away has significantly less time to react if the person suddenly moves forward.

According to LAPD's account, the officers responded by deploying their TASER devices after the man approached the vehicle and struck its hood. The department reported that the devices were effective and that the man was taken into custody afterward.

The incident therefore ended without the officers firing their service weapons, despite the reported presence of a sword.

The Investigation Continues After the Arrest

Once the suspect had been taken into custody and transported for medical attention, the focus shifted from controlling the immediate threat to documenting what had happened.

LAPD's Force Investigation Division handled the use-of-force investigation. The department's records classify the October 12 incident as a Law Enforcement Related Injury, or LERI, rather than an officer-involved shooting.

That distinction is significant because no firearm was discharged by the officers during this encounter. The force used consisted of the TASER deployment and the physical actions necessary to take the man into custody.

A Dangerous Situation Ends Without Gunfire

The encounter began with officers responding to a report of an armed man and quickly developed into a close-range confrontation beside a police vehicle. According to LAPD, the man approached officers with a sword and struck their patrol car, prompting both officers to deploy their TASER devices.

The man was eventually taken into custody and transported to a hospital, while no officers were injured. CBS Los Angeles reported that he was not criminally charged and was instead taken for a mental-health evaluation.

The bodycam footage provides a vivid look at how quickly a police call can change once officers encounter a person holding a weapon. In just a few moments, officers went from responding to a report to dealing with an armed individual directly beside their vehicle. The subsequent investigation provided an additional review of how the use of force unfolded and what happened during those critical seconds.