FRESNO (KMJ) — A man has been shot and killed Friday morning at a home in west Fresno.
The incident took place in a home close to the intersection of Fresno’s Shaw and Hayes. At its height, there were as many as sixteen Fresno PD vehicles on scene, including representatives from Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Fresno County District Attorney’s office.
According to Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the call came in just before 9am. The caller told dispatch that a man was walking around with what looked like a shotgun.
The area is officially part of Fresno County, but a mutual aid agreement between law enforcement across the county means Fresno Police were the first on scene. The responding officer identified the suspect, and asked him to show his hands.
“After walking some distance, the suspect then turned towards the officer and pulled what appeared to be a gun out of his pants”, says Fresno County’s Sheriff Mims. “The officer fired at the suspect, hit the person, immediately began CPR and calling for assistance including medical assistance”.
The suspect later died of his injuries in the hospital.
Further investigation later determined that the gun was a replica.
“The weapon is in fact not a real weapon”, continued Sheriff Mims. “However, I have seen it and portion that the officer was able to see has the appearance of being a real weapon.
“The officer didn’t wait to see if it had a different colored tip on it. The description was the suspect started pulling out of his pants what appeared to be a weapon”.
One local resident, who joined the media presence at the scene, says he’s known the people who live in the home at the center of the investigation almost all his life.
“That place has been an encampment for drug use and finally it came to a head”, reveals Isaac Sierra. “Like a champagne bottle, it’s always going to burst after a while”.
Both Fresno County’s Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Offices are now investigating what led to the incident.
