Dai Phuoc Nguyen, 38

Dai Phuoc Nguyen, a 38-year-old man of Vietnamese descent, was fatally shot by police officers on Monday, Dec. 2, in the 9800 block of Cortada Street in El Monte, according to Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner records.  

El Monte police officers went to Nguyen's home about 12:30 p.m. after dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Hoglund. 

"There was a lot of screaming on the other end and nobody answering questions, so the officers responded," he said. 

When the officers arrived, they parked just west of the house on Cortada Street, Hoglund said. As they got out of their cars, Nguyen allegedly charged from the driveway of his home toward them with a "bladed weapon" in his hand. Officers "described it as a very large wood-handled kitchen knife," Hoglund said, "almost like a machete." 

Hoglund said Nguyen ignored the officers' shouts to put down his knife, and when he ran into the street, they opened fire. 

Nguyen was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:45 p.m., according to coroner's records. The cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the chest. 

A large kitchen knife was found near Nguyen after he was shot, Hoglund said. 

Nguyen was married, with four children, according to an online fundraiser for his family that was started by his brother, Tracy Nguyen. "We are still in shock by my brother passing," he wrote. "No words can describe the pain me and my family is going through."

Tracy Nguyen ended his fundraising request with a message to his brother. "We will never forget the laughs and smiles you put on our faces, no matter what you were going through," he wrote. "You will be truly missed." 

Anyone with information about the case should contact the sheriff's Homicide Bureau, which is investigating the shooting, at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.