LAPD launches probe after 36-year-old Gurpreet Singh allegedly charged at officers with a traditional Sikh sword
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Force Investigation Division (FID) is investigating a police shooting that took place on July 13, 2025, in the city’s Central Division, after a 36-year-old Sikh man, Gurpreet Singh, was fatally shot by officers, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Singh, who had reportedly been performing ‘gatka’—a traditional Sikh martial art—using a khanda (double-edged sword), was shot after police claimed he threatened pedestrians and charged at officers despite repeated warnings.
According to LAPD, officers received a call around 9:10 am about an assault with a deadly weapon near South Figueroa Street and West Olympic Boulevard
Singh had allegedly stopped his car in the middle of the intersection and began swinging the sword at passersby
Police said he ignored commands to drop the weapon, threw a water bottle at officers, and fled
A brief pursuit followed, during which Singh reportedly drove erratically, colliding with a police vehicle before stopping near Figueroa Street and 12th Street. Officers stated that Singh then exited his car with the sword and charged toward them, prompting them to open fire.
Singh was struck, fell to the ground, and later died in hospital. Police confirmed that no civilians or officers were injured in the incident. The case remains under investigation.
