Sikh man performing ‘gatka’ on road with sword shot by US police

Los Angeles Police Department’s Force Investigation Division (FID) is probing an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred on July 13, 2025, in the Central Division, after a 36-year-old man allegedly “threatened pedestrians with a machete and later charged at officers”, according to the YouTube channel of LAPD.

Central Patrol Division officers responded around 9.10 am on July 13 to a radio call near South Figueroa Street and West Olympic Boulevard about an assault with a deadly weapon, read the caption below the video of the incident.

The suspect, identified as Gurpreet Singh, had reportedly stopped his car in the middle of the intersection, exited, and began swinging a machete at passersby.

As per media reports, the machete in question was actually a ‘khanda’, a double-edged straight sword used traditionally by Sikhs, and Singh was performing ‘gatka’, the traditional Sikh martial art.

However, according to LAPD, the officers ordered Singh to drop the weapon, but he ignored repeated commands, retrieved a water bottle from his vehicle, and allegedly threw it at the officers before fleeing southbound on Figueroa Street.

Police initiated a brief pursuit as Singh drove erratically, colliding with an officer’s vehicle before stopping near Figueroa Street and 12th Street.

Police said Singh exited his car, still armed with the machete, and allegedly charged toward the officers, prompting them to open fire. Singh was struck and fell to the ground. He was later moved to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

As per police, no officer or civilians were harmed in the incident and the probe is underway.