Man Shot, Killed By Deputies In Lancaster

LANCASTER (CBSLA) – A man was shot and killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Lancaster early Thursday morning.

Michael Thomas, 62, was killed in his living room after deputies responded to reports of domestic violence inside the home. According to deputies, Thomas came to the door but refused to comply.

"I heard Michael say, 'I have a right to not let you in my house,'" said his fiancee, Kimberly. However, her story differs from deputies' telling of what happened next.

The sheriff's department says Thomas struggled with deputies, reaching down to try to take one of their guns, prompting one of the deputies to shoot.

Kimberly says Thomas was only trying to turn away from deputies.

The family's attorney, Bradley Gage, said Thomas did not have a weapon and was not hurting his fiancee. According to the family, the two were only having a verbal argument and there was no reason for Thomas to be detained in the first place.

"That's exactly why we have a fourth amendment," Gage said. "It's to avoid the kinds of illegal searches and seizures where the police come into people's homes and harm them or, here, kill them."

The shooting occurred at 5:23 a.m. in the 600 block of West Avenue H12, the sheriff's department reports.

Currently, L.A. County sheriff's deputies are not required to wear body cameras. The L.A. County Office of the Inspector General is investigating the shooting.