Two Orange County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a hatchet-wielding man they suspected was breaking into a home in Midway City on Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Sheriff’s officials said deputies were called to the 14000 block of Van Buren Street in a residential area near Westminster Memorial Park and Mortuary a little before 5 a.m.
There, two deputies shot to death a man inside a home.
The Sheriff’s Department did not disclose any other details, including the age of the deceased, his actions or that of deputies leading up to the incident or the number of shots fired.
The department said the initial call was to investigate a report of someone “breaking into a house and vandalizing property.”
“From what I know, the suspect was armed with a hatchet,” said Sgt. Mike Woodroof, Orange County sheriff’s public information officer. “Whatever behavior preceded the shooting is being reviewed by the district attorney investigators.”
The man was declared dead at the scene by Orange County firefighters.
Parts of the block where the shooting took place were temporarily closed due to the investigation.