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Howard Charles Gross, 57

Howard Charles Gross (2009-08-01)

Howard Gross, a 57-year-old white man, was shot by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and died Saturday, August 1 in the 9200 block of Ramona Boulevard in Rosemead, authorities said.

Gross, who was wielding two meat cleavers and shouting at authorities to kill him, was shot to death outside his Rosemead apartment. Sheriff's deputies told investigators that they shot Gross after he advanced on them with the cleavers.

Gross had allegedly slipped into a neighbor’s apartment while she was out getting things from her car. He later emerged from a bedroom when she returned and was on her couch, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department. The woman recognized the man from an upstairs apartment unit. She screamed, pushed him away and ran out of the apartment before calling police about 6 p.m., authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies went to the suspect’s door to contact him. After first refusing to open the door, he did so with a meat cleaver in each hand and advanced toward them, yelling at deputies to “kill him,” according to the release.

The department said the deputies withdrew, but the man continued to advance toward them. Two deputies each fired one round at him. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

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