Armed man enters Fresno jail with suicide plans. A chilling flashback to 2016 shooting

A correctional officer detained an armed man in the Fresno County jail who said he wanted to commit suicide by cop, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office reported Wednesday.

The July 12 incident brought up tense memories for officers at the jail, where an armed man opened fire in 2016, wounding officers Thong Vang and Juanita Davila. Vang died in 2021 from injuries he suffered in the shooting..

Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said the new incident took place when a 37-year-old man entered the jail lobby, approached the visitor’s window, told an officer on duty that he wanted to turn himself in, and that he was armed with a firearm. Lifting his shirt, he showed the semi-automatic weapon to the officer before placing it on the counter and lying on the floor.

The officer detained the man and secured the pistol, which turned out to be unloaded. A sheriff’s deputy interviewed the man, who said that the wanted to “commit suicide by cop.”

The man was taken to a mental health facility, where he was booked on firearms charges.

This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 9:02 PM.