Photo taken on March 20, 2020 shows roads in Los Angeles, California, the United States. (Photo: Xinhua)

LOS ANGELES, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A major north-south freeway in Southern California has been closed for hours after police fatally shot a knife-wielding man early Friday morning.

California Highway Patrol officers arrived about 1:30 a.m. local time Friday after the Long Beach Police Department reported that a man was walking along the 710 freeway lanes in the area while holding a large knife, reported the Los Angeles Times, citing a police report.

Police officers fired at the man who disregarded orders to drop the weapon and charged officers "in an aggressive manner with the knife," according to the report.

The unidentified man was transported to a nearby hospital but died of his injuries later.

The northbound 710 Freeway in the area has been closed in the wake of the shooting due to police activity. Southbound traffic resumed in the morning.

A police investigation into the incident is underway.