TULARE, Calif. (KFSN) — A confrontation involving Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies began at home in a residential neighborhood on Wednesday morning during a welfare check that turned tragic.
Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a possible fight at a home on Matheny Avenue and Prine Drive, in an area just south of the City of Tulare.
According to TCSO, when deputies arrived, they were confronted by a man who refused to come out and later appeared from the back of the home. According to deputies, the man pointed at what they believed was a weapon.
In that moment, shots were fired.
The man suffered life-threatening injuries and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Hours later, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office would determine the object pointed at deputies was not a weapon, but a black cell phone.
Neighbors concerned with the large police presence described the area as quiet, with families who mostly keep to themselves.
“To hear something going down like this, this is completely something different, especially it being such a small community where everybody knows everybody, so it’s sad to see what’s going on down here,” said a neighbor.
The California Department of Justice, along with the Tulare Police Department, is collaborating on the investigation to ensure full transparency.
