Fresno police shoot man holding weapon that turned out to be pellet gun, officers say

Fresno police shot a man Friday night who appeared to be holding a gun in a parking lot west of Highway 99, according to Capt. Mark Salazar.

Police later learned the weapon was a pellet gun.

The sergeant and officer who discharged their service weapons have been placed on administrative leave while multiple investigations take place, including with the Fresno Count District Attorney’s Office.

The man, whose identity has not been released, remained hospitalized in stable but critical condition as of Saturday morning, Salazar said.

The two officers and a sergeant arrived to the Manheim Central California parking lot near Marks Avenue and Ray Johnson Drive just before 11 p.m. after a security guard called police about the man.

Cops saw the man, who they thought was armed with a gun, and spent up to eight minutes talking to him and giving him commands, Salazar said. At one point, the man allegedly told police to “pull the trigger.”

Police fired three rounds from a non-lethal shotgun. Salazar was unsure if the rounds hit the man.

The man started running through the car lot, and police chased him. The sergeant, an 11-year veteran of the department, and the officer, a three-year veteran, fired several shots at the man.

Salazar said the man may have been hit at least twice.

After the shooting, police learned the gun the man had been holding was a BB or pellet gun. He was also wearing a backpack.

Police were were wearing body cameras at the time, which could help with the investigation.

This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 12:17 PM.