Fresno Police fatal shooting will get review by California Department of Justice

The state Department of Justice said it will review a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place Thursday in central Fresno.

It happened near Crystal Avenue and Fountain Way , according to Police Chief Paco Balderrama. The man reportedly was barred from being at the home because of a restraining order, the chief said. He had also come to the house the day before.

Balderrama said officers found him in the backyard, saw he was armed, and backed up to the street. He said one officer fired when the man charged officers, who had set up a perimeter.

In a press release, Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state investigation was being carried out pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506, which authorizes an independent review by the DOJ in such incidents. AG investigations of officer-involved fatal shootings have become commonplace.

Fresno Police spokesman Bill Dooley said Friday that the department is working with the DOJ on the investigation.

The DOJ said its Shooting Investigation Team deployed to the Fresno scene after it was notified by Fresno police.

“Once the investigation has been completed, it will be turned over to the (DOJ’s) Special Prosecutions Section” for independent review, the state agency added in the release.