Video shows man no longer had gun when Fresno officer shot him. DOJ investigating death
Police released video Friday from the fatal shooting of a Fresno man by officers that is now under investigation by the state Department of Justice.
Police killed Roberto Corchado, 29, of Fresno on March 4 following a pursuit and a shootout with him near Herndon and Ingram avenues, police said.
Corchado was in possession of two weapons — a pistol and a carbine — before he was shot by police, according to police. He shot a patrol car three times and struck an officer, who was spared by a bulletproof vest, police said.
It was not immediately clear if he was still in possession of a gun when shot. The Department of Justice on March 6 said it would review the case because the initial investigation showed Corchado “was not in possession of a deadly weapon at the time of the fatal shooting,” the DOJ said in a statement then.
The video released Friday shows he fired at officers but no longer had a weapon as he fled on foot, which police discovered after Corchado was shot, according to police.
Traffic stop, pursuit, shooting by police in Fresno
Corchado was attempting to avoid a traffic stop at about 4:55 p.m. March 4 near Fresno Street and Shaw Avenue, police said.
Officers recognized him and knew he had outstanding warrants, police said.
They initiated a pursuit but called it off after Corchado drove in reverse the wrong way onto a Highway 41 off-ramp. He struck at least two other cars, police said.
Another officer followed him without lights or sirens on the northbound side of 41 near the Bullard Avenue exit, video shows.
A police helicopter continued to track Corchado as officers followed instructions from the flight team, tracking the assailant without a chase, police said. Two officers later used a police car “pit maneuver” to cause Corchado to spin out near Hendon and Ingram avenues.
Corchado then fired at police and two officers returned fire, police said, including the officer in a bulletproof vest who was struck. Those two officers gave chase as Corchado ran away.
In the video, you can hear the officer say, “I got hit,” after exchanging gunfire. He then chases Corchado while telling him to stop running and saying “show me your f---ing hands” multiple times, video shows.
Corchado was running away from police and appears to have his back to officers when he was shot. He died at the scene.
Police explain in the video they learned afterward that Corchado had discarded his 9mm pistol, which had been emptied of all but one round. A .22 caliber rifle was also found in the car.
Officer shooting investigated by Justice Department
The DOJ investigation is ongoing.
Assembly Bill 1506 requires state investigators with DOJ to look into every police shooting of an unarmed person
There have been three shootings by officers in Fresno so far this year. Two of them were fatal.
This time last year, there had been four officer-involved shootings, police said Thursday.
.jpg "IMG_9392 (1).jpg")
