Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Press Release
01-22-23
LASD Deputy-Involved Shooting (DIS) in the 2100 block of El Sereno Avenue, Altadena (Unincorporated).
The following information is based on facts determined from an investigation into the incident described. The investigation is ongoing, and as witnesses are interviewed, evidence is analyzed, and reports are reviewed, our understanding of the facts may change. The details described below accurately reflect the facts as
we currently know them.
On January 22, 2023, at approximately 5:14 PM, deputies assigned to the Altadena Sheriff’s Station responded to a call at a gas station on the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road. The call was regarding a male chasing and attempting to stab people with a sharp metal object. The male was later identified as 47-year-old Charles
Towns.
When deputies arrived at the location, they saw Towns walking south across Woodbury Avenue. The deputies followed Towns in their patrol vehicles as he walked west on Woodbury Road along the south sidewalk. One of the pursuing deputies exited his patrol vehicle and ordered Towns to stop and drop his weapon. Towns did not comply
and continued to walk south onto the 2100 block of El Sereno Avenue, where they witnessed him stab an elderly female in her face. Towns, while still armed with the sharp object, was actively attempting to stab another person, at which time a deputy-involved shooting occurred.
Towns fell to the ground, got up, and advanced toward deputy personnel as the deputy-involved shooting continued. Towns collapsed at the apron of the driveway, approximately 10 to 12 feet from where he initially fell.
Towns sustained gunshot wounds to his torso. Deputies rendered first aid to Towns until the Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
There were two civilians injured from stabbing /cutting injuries in this incident.
The sharp object, later determined to be scissors, was recovered from the ground in the area where the male originally fell.
Following notification by local authorities, the California Department of Justice’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team deployed to the incident scene.
Alongside other law enforcement partners, the California Department of Justice is investigating. Once the investigation has been completed, it will be turned over to the California Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review. More information on the California
Department of Justice’s roles and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available at: https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.
***UPDATE***
The employees involved in the deputy-involved shooting were identified as Deputy Eliezer Morales, Deputy Clarissa Prentice.