By Mary O’KEEFE

A 40-year-old man has succumbed to a gunshot wound he received after a confrontation with a Glendale Police Officer this afternoon.

Glendale paramedics responded to a call about 1 p.m. to the 1700 block of Riverside Drive in Glendale, said Sgt. Tom Lorenz, GPD spokesman. The girlfriend of the man made the 9-1-1 call reporting that the man overdosed on medication and was suicidal. When paramedics arrived, the man was violent and throwing things around and was possibly armed. The paramedics contacted Glendale police who confronted the man in a nearby alley. 

In the driveway there were several weapons including baseball bats and a knife. 

“He lunged at the officer with a knife. The officer fired one shot [to the upper torso]. Paramedics were on scene and treated him immediately and transported him to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds,” said Lorenz.

The Glendale Criminal Team Investigation Unit administrative team from the city of Glendale Internal Affairs and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office sent out the “shoot team” to investigate the officer involved shooting. 

“The statement we are getting from witnesses is it looks like [this man wanted] suicide by cop,” said Lorenz.  The investigation is ongoing. 

Like in all officer related shootings, the officer involved has been put on administrative leave. There is counseling available to determine when he can return to duty.