Man shot by Fresno police after ramming officer, vehicle during domestic violence incident
A man was shot early Friday by a police officer after ramming a police vehicle outside a 7-Eleven in southeast Fresno.
He is expected to survive, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said at the scene.
The incident in the 2300 block of South Chestnut Avenue started around 12:45 a.m. when officers responded to a call regarding a disturbance at the convenience store. Balderrama later said it was determined to be a domestic violence incident between a boyfriend and girlfriend who appeared to be intoxicated.
The man — who has not been identified though Balderrama said he appeared to be in his 30s — was with the woman in a vehicle outside the store when the man went inside the 7-Eleven. That’s when the woman exited the vehicle “presumably to try to get away from the man,” Balderrama said.
As officers arrived, the man got back into his vehicle, which had been pulled up over a curb and was partially stuck.
Three officers gave the man verbal commands to turn off the vehicle and get out, but he instead put it in reverse and drove at the officers, hitting one of them and twice hitting a police vehicle, Balderrama said. One of the officers, who was behind the man’s vehicle, fired multiple times and struck the man once, Balderrama said.
“When he backed up the first time, he hit a female officer with a rear view mirror and that’s when one of the officer discharged his weapon,” Balderrama said.
The chief said it was not immediately known where the man was shot.
The woman, Balderrama said, is 42 and was going to be OK.
The man also hit another vehicle that was occupied by a person. That person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.
Police said the suspect has a prior felony conviction for felony evading.
He is charged with felony domestic violence, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon upon a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon and violation of his post release community supervision.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney were also at the scene, and Balderrama said the police department’s homicide unit would be investigating the incident.
It was the seventh shooting by a Fresno police officer this year, Balderrama said.
The three officers involved will be placed on administrative leave.
This story was originally published December 23, 2022 at 6:32 AM.
