Stabbing suspect dies after police in Fresno County shoot him with a beanbag gun

Police in Orange Cove say a man who advanced on officers following a stabbing died Sunday morning after he was hit in the chest with a beanbag projectile fired from a officer’s shotgun.

He was identified as Salvador Lopez, 25.

The incident took place in the 1600 block of Casuga Court, according to sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti.

Police went to a home there about 8:45 in response to a report of a stabbing. When they found Lopez, he no longer had the knife, but was “non-compliant” to surrender commands and lunged toward officers. An officer fired an electronic stun device, that was ineffective, said Botti, and as Lopez continued to advance, another officer fired the beanbag, hitting Lopez in the chest. Lopez was handcuffed, but became unresponsive. Officers tried to revive him with CPR, but he died.

Botti said the victim stabbed by Lopez was taken to the hospital, and is expected to survive.

At the request of Orange Cove police, sheriff’s investigators are in charge of the incident, along with members of the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. The cause of death will be determined by an autopsy and toxicology tests.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 or sheriff’s investigators at 559-600-3111.