Sheriff’s office says Fresno deputy fatally shot charging suspect armed with stick-like weapon

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said one of its deputies fired multiple shots and killed a man who charged at the officer with a stick-like weapon late Friday afternoon.

The shooting occurred around 4:15 p.m. near the intersection of Clovis and Balch avenues in southeast Fresno.

The sheriff’s office received a call of man becoming violent and threatening family members with a knife.

By the time responding deputies arrived at the home on the 5600 block of Waverly Lane, the suspect had left the house.

But with the help of a law enforcement helicopter, the suspect was located walking nearby at a gas station and carrying a large stick, according to county spokesman Tony Botti.

“Like a tree branch,” Botti added.

According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy approached the man and commanded he drop the stick.

Instead, the suspect “charged the deputy with that stick” and the deputy fired multiple shots, Botti said.

“The deputy retreated to the best of his ability,” Botti said. “But as the suspect closed in, the deputy fired multiple shots, striking the suspect.”

The suspect died at the scene, in a parking lot behind a Valero gas station.

Only one officer fired a weapon and all rounds were accounted for, Botti said.

When asked if less lethal measures could have been taken by the deputy to stop the man, Botti said such options are challenging given the circumstances.

“It depends,” Botti said. “Many of our deputies do have less lethal options. The trouble is when you have one deputy, they don’t get the luxury of only coming less lethal.

“Usually when you have multiples (multiple deputies), you have someone who’s less lethal and then lethal cover. In this case, it transpired so quickly, (the deputy) was alone by himself.”

No confirmed information was provided of the suspect or the deputy’s history with firing their gun.

Botti said this is the sixth law enforcement-involved shooting since May, including four deputy-involved shootings.

Two of those deputy-involved shootings ended in a fatality, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Fresno Police Department is handling the investigation deputy-involved shooting since the shooting occurred in city limits.

This story was originally published June 30, 2023 at 5:57 PM.