VIDEO: Woman shot by cops in Long Beach, Calif., after refusing to drop fake gun

LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — The 32-year-old woman shot during a police standoff Saturday is reportedly in serious condition but expected to survive.

The shooting occurred at Third Street and Long Beach Boulevard after a nearly three-hour standoff.

Long Beach police believed Adeline Arroyo was holding a gun and officers and a mental evaluation team pleaded with her to drop the weapon.

Arroyo allegedly refused and continued to walk toward them.

CBSLA captured video that shows Arroyo holding what appears to be a gun as police open fire.

Officials say Arroyo was shot multiple times.

Long Beach police have released a photo of the gun, which they determined was a replica.

Arroyo has been booked for displaying the replica in the presence of police.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, which officials say is standard procedure.

Arroyo’s aunt said, “She had a hard life,” but claimed her niece was harmless. She said mental illness has cost Arroyo her daughter, her husband and her home.

“She liked to go to the riverbed and just, you know, shoot at cans,” the aunt said.

But Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said his officers had no choice but to shoot. He also said rubber bullets were not an option.

“If the person has a handgun and they point that in your direction, less lethal is not appropriate, you have a lethal threat,” said McDonnell.

Arroyo’s family said she has been struggling with mental illness and hearing voices.

Saturday morning Arroyo’s aunt went to the bathroom and, while she was out of the room, Arroyo slipped out. That is why she was wearing pajamas.

“The mental evaluation team spoke with the suspect for over an hour. During the negotiation the suspect brandished a weapon,” McDonnell said.

Saturday’s shooting marked the 19th officer-involved shooting in Long Beach in 2013. And it has Arroyo’s family convinced police need more training, especially when dealing with the mentally ill.

“She had a nervous breakdown. She was going through some things… she just wasn’t well yet. But she loved her family very much,” Arroyo’s aunt said.