The Los Angeles Police Department officer who shot a former college football player who had attacked him was "fight for his life" before the shooting, according to the union representing the officers.

An LAPD officer fatally shot 25-year-old Reggie Doucet Jr., a former football player at Middle Tennessee State University, after he stripped naked, repeatedly punched the officers and tried to take their guns, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The shooting occurred at 3 a.m. Saturday near Playa del Rey.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League issued the statement Saturday in response to a remarks from civil rights groups criticizing the officers for not using less-lethal force.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Roundtable had called on the LAPD to review policies regarding the arrests of intoxicated or mentally disturbed people.

"It is disappointing that community leaders immediately and predictably turn to questioning and trying to blame the LAPD, when officers have to respond with force and sometimes lethal force to protect their lives," according to the LAPPL's statement. "The cold, hard fact that community leaders should understand is that police officers don't get paid to be shot, stabbed or killed in the line of duty. As we have said before, if suspects refuse to comply with lawful commands and continue actions that endanger the life of an officer or member of the community, then that suspect is solely responsible for the outcome of those events."

AUDIO: Listen to LAPD radio traffic of the incident on YouTube.

Read the full story at LATimes.com.