MAITLAND, Fla. (AP) – A central Florida teenager accused of stabbing his mother with a butter knife has been fatally shot by police.

Friends identified the suspect as 18-year-old Alex May and his mother as 60-year-old Diana May, though Maitland police haven’t formally released their names.

Police say the mother called 911 early Monday, saying her son was repeatedly stabbing her in the torso. She locked herself in a bedroom, but when an officer entered the home, they shot the teen.

A police spokeswoman said it’s not clear why the officer didn’t use less-than-lethal force. Maitland police are issued Tasers.

The mother is in critical condition. An investigation is under way to probe what prompted the stabbing and the officer’s response.