POMONA — Police shot and killed a woman who allegedly brandished a gun at them late Saturday in Pomona, where four homicides have been reported in the past week and a half, officials said.
Sonia Angelita Castaneda-Montoya, 28, of Pomona died at the scene of the shooting, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said.
No officers were injured in the incident, which took place about 9:45 p.m. in a motel parking lot in the 900 block of West Holt Avenue, officials said.
”Members of a multi-jurisdictional gang task force were driving through the parking lot of the location where they were confronted by a female suspect,” Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.”The female suspect brandished a handgun, resulting in an officer-involved shooting.”
A handgun was recovered, officials said.
Sheriff’s officials, who are assisting Pomona police in the investigation, did not say Sunday what agencies took part in the multi-agency task force, or what agency or agencies were involved in the shooting.
Pomona police deferred questions to the sheriff’s department. Handling detectives could not be reached for comment.
No further information was released.
A search of Los Angeles County Superior Court records shows Castadena-Montoya was convicted of robbery in June of 2004 in Pomona Superior Court. A charge of making criminal threats filed against her was dismissed.
Saturday night’s shooting involving the gang investigators took place during a period of heightened patrols in response to a recent deadly spate of violence in the city.
Four men died in four separate shootings between March 7 through 12, police said.
The first in the series of killings claimed the life of a 24-year-old man who was killed by a shooter inside a passing car as he walked with a child and two strollers on 9th Street in the middle of the afternoon.
Police have reported no arrests in any of the five killings.