Authorities responding to a possible suicide attempt shot and killed a 70-year-old woman late Monday after she allegedly pointed a gun at them.

When La Habra police and Orange County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Chestnut Street home in unincorporated La Habra, Jerry Lunceford reportedly confronted the officers and refused to lower her weapon.

Authorities said the officers opened fire after initially using a nonlethal, beanbag-type weapon.

It was unclear whether the woman’s weapon was loaded, and the incident is being investigated by the Orange County district attorney’s office, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.


“It would be inappropriate to assume anything at this point,” said Assistant Sheriff Michael Hillmann on Tuesday. “The officers were immediately confronted.”

A neighbor described Lunceford as a nice woman who seemed generally happy.

“She was about as vanilla as you can get,” said Kimberley Mohanna, who said the woman had five children and grandchildren.

Mohanna said her neighbor had recently sent her a Christmas card and had handwritten a message, wishing her a “healthy, happy new year.”


It was not immediately clear whether Lunceford’s husband was home at the time of the incident, but Mohanna said she saw him later in the evening.

“I went up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek,” she said.

Authorities said the call about a possible suicide attempt came in at 10:15 p.m.

A pair of La Habra police officers and three sheriff’s deputies arrived within 15 minutes.


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mike.anton@latimes.com