California cops kill suspect who allegedly took a hostage

DOS PALOS, Calif. (AP) — A suspect who was holding a juvenile hostage with a knife in California was shot and killed by law enforcement Friday morning, authorities said.

Merced County sheriff’s deputies were called to an apartment complex in the city of Dos Palos around 11:45 a.m. following a report of a physical domestic incident, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

The suspect tried to set fire to the complex in Dos Palos, about 50 miles (80.47 kilometers) southeast of downtown San Francisco, authorities said.

When deputies arrived, the suspect was armed with a knife while “holding a juvenile hostage inside the residence,” the sheriff’s office said.

At least one deputy opened fire, killing the suspect.

Few details were available Friday, including the suspect’s identity and relationship to the hostage and how many deputies fired their weapons.