"First I heard that woman shouting for help. And then she screamed 'police, police,'" said the man.
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It happened on 103rd Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Corona just after 4 a.m. Police say two officers patrolling the area noticed a fight between a man and a woman - when they got closer, they say the man had a knife in his hand.
The witness says when he looked outside there was a woman and then a man with a knife. According to police, the man ignored the officer's repeated commands to put the knife down, so they tried to use a taser. When that failed, an officer shot the 65-year-old.
Five shots were fired, according to the witness. The man later died at Elmhurst Hospital.
As the remnants of the early morning incident were cleaned up, news spread throughout the community.
"I was shocked because that's not a normal thing in this neighborhood. Normally, there's fights because of the small bars in the neighborhood," said Martin Beralta.
Beralta says he often sees officers patrolling the area, so he feels safer, but crime continues to be a problem for those who live in the area.
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"They're disappointed. Very disappointed, because they say they're saying that the neighborhood has gotten worse in the last five, six years. So now they're afraid, you know?" adds Beralta.
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