A man armed with a knife is fatally shot in the Hollywood subway station

A man armed with a knife was shot and killed Tuesday morning after stabbing a security guard at a Hollywood subway station, authorities said.

Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to 1500 North Vermont Avenue around 9:10 a.m. on a report that a security guard had been stabbed, according to Officer Kevin Terzes.

According to a statement from Metro spokesman Dave Sotero, a man was discovered trespassing during a security check in the restricted area of ​​the Vermont/Sunset station. A guard and the man then got into an altercation on the platform, in which the guard used pepper spray and the man stabbed the guard in the leg.

According to LAPD Officer Tony Im, the security guard then shot the man twice. The man fled on foot to a local hospital in Hollywood, where he was pronounced dead. The security guard was also hospitalized in an unknown condition.

Last week, hundreds of subway riders staged a sick-out protest in response to the increasing number of assaults on riders. This resulted in delays for dozens of bus routes.

About 360 operators, or about 10% of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority drivers, called in sick, according to the agency. Train and bus operators have criticized Metro for failing to adequately respond to violence in recent weeks.

The authority recorded 168 attacks last year, including stabbings and spitting.

The stabbing attack came just two days after a driver of an LA Department of Transportation DASH bus was pushed and punched during an altercation with a passenger. Afterwards, the department said it would look for ways to provide more protection for drivers.

“The safety of passengers and riders on our transit services is of paramount importance to LADOT,” the department said in a statement to KCBS-TV Channel 2. “LADOT is exploring options to improve safety, including strengthening existing barriers between riders and passengers. “”