LA woman shot, killed by police after calling 911 for protection from violent ex

A woman who called 911 asking for help and protection from a domestic violence situation involving her ex-boyfriend was shot dead in front of the violent ex and her 9-year-old daughter by a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

When law enforcement arrived on the scene, 27-year-old Niani Finlayson answered the door. She was holding a knife by her side, and was allegedly threatening to stab her former partner who she said had assaulted both her and her daughter. Bodycam footage shows Deputy Ty Shelton opening fire almost immediately after entering the home.

According to the LASD, the incident took place shortly after 6 pm on December 4 at Finlayson's home on the 2100 block of East Avenue J-8 in Lancaster, a town about 70 miles north of Los Angeles.

A short time earlier, Finlayson had called 911 asking for help.

"I need the police here," she told the dispatcher. "This man, he won't get out of my house now, and I already told him to get out of my house a thousand f*cking times."

"Get the f*ck off of me!" she screamed. "Get your ass the f*ck off of me now!"

When deputies arrived on scene, they approached the front door of the apartment and heard people shouting inside. While attempting to break down the door, Finlayson opened up and it was then that deputies saw she was carrying a "large knife" with "an approximate eight-inch blade."

They entered the apartment, and it was then that Finlayson "told deputies she was going to stab her boyfriend for pushing her daughter." She held him with one hand and the knife with the other, at which point Shelton fired four shots.

"Finlayson was struck by gunfire, fell to the floor, and dropped the knife," the LASD's incident report states. Deputies rendered first aid until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived and took over. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

According to ABC News, the ex-boyfriend was subsequently arrested following a struggle for child abuse and assault on a peace officer. He has since been released from custody as the investigation continues.

On December 21, Finlayson's family filed a claim against the LASD demanding at least $30 million, claiming the shooting was entirely unjustified. 

"The deputy involved in the shooting has been removed from the field pending the outcome of the Department's critical incident review," LASD said in a statement. "The Department will examine and evaluate every aspect of the shooting including the response, tactics, and background of the employee."