Joanna Lua Obituary, – Police have identified a woman who was fatally shot by officers in Panorama City on Sunday. The incident occurred when the woman allegedly charged at them with a knife. More information about the deadly confrontation has been released.
Officers responded to a call at 12:30 a.m. on Saturday at an apartment complex on Van Nuys Boulevard. The LAPD reported that the suspect, later identified as 23-year-old Joanna Lua, was armed with a knife and threatening family members. Lua was attempting to assault family members with a knife and preventing them from leaving the apartment.
Upon arrival, officers positioned themselves on the second-floor landing outside the apartment’s front door. They attempted to communicate with the occupants to gain entry but were unsuccessful. After hearing noises coming from inside the apartment, officers believed Lua was trying to access the victims. They forced entry into the apartment and encountered Lua advancing towards them with the knife. Despite verbal commands to drop the weapon, Lua continued to approach the officers, resulting in an Officer-Involved Shooting.
Following the incident, Lua was taken into custody after being struck by gunfire and TASER probes. She was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A 10-inch bread knife was recovered at the scene as evidence, and no officers or bystanders were injured. The shooting has raised concerns among local civil rights leaders, calling for a swift investigation into the LAPD’s actions.
