Officer chasing suspect at Fresno City College campus loses service weapon, police say
A police sergeant chasing a fleeing car theft suspect lost his service weapon at Fresno City College and police said they have not recovered it.
State Center Community College police were pursuing several teenagers in a stolen car near the college before they crashed south of campus on Wednesday, campus police said in a news release.
The campus sent out emails and text messages to students that there was a police presence near campus about 7:20 p.m. Wednesday. Campus police were assisting Fresno police.
The teens fled the crash across McKinley Avenue and through Fresno City College, campus police said.
The campus sergeant pursued one of them northeast through a parking lot and at some point slipped and fell, but resumed the chase, police said.
Moments later the sergeant realized his service weapon had fallen off of his belt when some of his equipment broke, likely in the fall, police said.
Police combed the area but the fully loaded Smith and Wesson MP 9mm was not recovered, campus police said.
Campus dispatch entered the weapon into a California law enforcement database so other police agencies will know about the lost gun, police said.
Officers were also reviewing surveillance video and continued to look for the gun, police said.
If any member of the public finds the weapon, police said it can be returned with no questions asked by calling campus dispatch at 559-244-6140 or the Fresno Police Department, 559-621-7000.
This story was originally published August 17, 2023 at 7:14 AM.
