An O.C. woman was shot by O.C. deputies when she came at them with a kitchen knife

Dana Point, Ca. (March 28, 2025): An Orange County Sheriff deputy-involved shooting occurred this morning in a gated residential community in Dana Point.

On Friday, March 28, at 4:12 a.m., deputies responded to a call of a welfare check in a gated community near Corniche Drive and Camino Del Avion, in Dana Point. The caller stated they could hear a woman screaming at the provided address.

Deputies arrived on scene and attempted to contact the resident at the address. Sometime after the deputies arrived, a 38-year-old woman exited the front door towards the deputies while holding a knife. A deputy-involved shooting occurred, and the woman was struck multiple times.

The woman was provided medical aid at the scene and was transported to a local area hospital where she is in critical condition.

There were no other subjects involved in the initial call for service, nor the deputy-involved shooting. No deputies were injured during the incident. For informational purposes, a photo of the actual knife found near the woman is presented below.

Per protocol, the investigation of the deputy-involved shooting will be handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Deputies in Dana Point are equipped with body-worn cameras. Footage from the incident will be released in accordance with the law and in consultation with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Brandishing a weapon, such as a kitchen knife, in California is a serious offense. Under California Penal Code 417, brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances.

If you advance on deputies while brandishing a knife, the situation can escalate quickly. Law enforcement officers are trained to respond to threats to their safety and the safety of others. If they perceive an imminent threat, they may use lethal force. In such cases, the individual brandishing the weapon could face severe consequences, including being shot by the deputies.

The legal consequences for brandishing a weapon include:

• Misdemeanor: Up to 30 days in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
• Felony: State prison sentence ranging from 16 months to 3 years, along with substantial fines

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Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.

When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.