Sikh man shot dead in LA: What prompted cops to take deadly action; was 'screaming and swinging at cars'

A newly released LAPD police video has shed light on the fatal shooting of a 35-year-old Sikh man by the police, raising questions about what led officers to open fire in the busy downtown area.

The incident unfolded on the morning of 13 July this year, near the bustling intersection of Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard, close to Crypto.com Arena. Multiple 911 callers reported a man waving a machete, blocking traffic and threatening passers-by. Callers described him as “a guy with a machete … screaming and swinging at cars” and “running towards people” in the middle of the street. They further added that the man looked Indian.

Police later identified the man as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Arcadia. Singh, wearing a blue headscarf, abandoned his black Dodge Challenger in the middle of the road, and, according to LAPD, appeared to be performing Gatka, a traditional Sikh martial art, while brandishing the large blade.

At one point, officers said, he even appeared to slice his own tongue with the weapon.

The LAPD Media Relations Division released the department’s critical incident community briefing, narrated by lieutenant Bruce CS. “This critical incident community briefing is intended to provide you with information about an officer involved shooting that occurred in central division in the city of Los Angeles,” he said, adding that the investigation was still in its early stages and could take up to a year.

Video evidence showed officers arriving at the scene and repeatedly ordering Singh to drop the machete. Instead, Singh walked back to his car, threw a water bottle at officers, then sped away, waving the weapon out of the driver’s window.


“The officers redeployed and began to give Singh verbal commands to stop and drop the machete. However, Singh did not comply with the officer's commands, returned to his Dodge Challenger, retrieved a water bottle, and threw it at officers. He then entered his Dodge Challenger and drove away southbound on Figueroa Street while waving the machete outside the driver's side window.”

Officers said that Singh then stopped, got out of his vehicle, still armed, and charged at them. At that moment, they discharged both a 40mm less-lethal foam projectile and live rounds. “Shots fired. Officer needs help,” one officer is heard shouting on body-worn camera footage. Singh was struck, dropped the machete, and fell to the ground.

Officers immediately requested medical aid and attempted life-saving measures before paramedics arrived. Singh was taken to hospital but succumbed to his injuries on 17 July 2025. A machete measuring 27 inches with a blade nearly 22 inches long was recovered from the scene.

No officers or civilians were injured during the ordeal. The LAPD stressed that it had not yet reached any conclusions about whether the officers’ actions complied with department policy.

“We are still at the very early stages of this investigation, which can often take up to a year to complete. and our understanding of the incident may change as this additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed,” Bruce CS said.