Deputy stabbed in Lancaster parking lot as suspect is shot dead
A Lancaster parking lot confrontation on June 20 saw a sheriff’s deputy stabbed by Robert Castro, who was then fatally shot by responding officers.
On June 20, a 911 caller alerted authorities to a person swinging knives in public near Lancaster. Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded with three patrol cars and initially observed Robert Castro walking across the lot. Without stopping, Castro reversed direction, sprinted toward a deputy, and thrust a knife into the officer’s side.
The wounded deputy returned fire, and a second deputy also discharged his weapon, hitting Castro. After the shooting, the second deputy checked on his partner while Castro, still reaching for a weapon, was ordered to stop and then shot again. Castro was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, and the injured deputy received treatment for his stab wound.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the dangers law enforcement face from sudden armed assaults in public spaces.
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