Advertisement

Police in O.C. fatally shoot man after he allegedly grabbed officer’s gun

Share

A police officer in Fountain Valley shot and killed a man Sunday morning while responding to a reported burglary at a Rite Aid.

About 4 a.m., officers responded to the pharmacy in the Fountain Valley Promenade shopping center in the 18000 block of Brookhurst Avenue on reports of a burglary in progress, according a statement from the Fountain Valley Police Department.

When officers arrived, they found the store’s front door smashed and found the man inside standing on a ladder, police said.

Advertisement

The man fought with officers as they tried to subdue him, police said. He bit one officer’s arm and snatched another officer’s handgun, police said.

Officers made “repeated commands” for the man to drop the handgun, but he did not comply, police said.

The officer who had been bitten fired a single shot at the man, who was transported to the hospital and later died, police said. The man’s name was not released pending notification of his family.

Another officer suffered a minor injury to the hand during the struggle.

The police department is investigating the incident along with help from the Orange County district attorney’s office, which is customary for all police-involved shootings.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.

Advertisement