Police shoot, kill man armed with scissors who charged officers in Fresno, chief says

A man armed with scissors was killed after he charged police early Saturday in northwest Fresno, Chief Paco Balderrama said.

The incident happened after police responded to a call about 5 a.m. to check the welfare of a suicidal person at an apartment complex in the 5500 block of North Dante Avenue. The man had gone there to contact a person with whom he was in an estranged relationship, the chief said.

Three officers fired their weapons and were placed on paid administrative leave.

Balderrama said when officers arrived, the man was in a car and accelerated toward an officer before accelerating away. Police pursued and caught up with the car, but then broke off the chase. Returning to the Dante address, they found the man had returned. The man “made suicidal threats, and not just to the officers, but also to our victim that he wanted to end his life,” Balderrama said.

The chief said the man “came at” officers with a pair of scissors.

“Prior to that happening, officers tried to deescalate,” he added and said officers did “deploy a Taser” electronic stun device, “which appeared to partially work.”

But the “suspect was able to overcome that and charged at the officers … and three of the officers discharged their weapons striking the suspect, and sadly he was pronounced deceased.”

It is the sixth officer-involved shooting for the department this year.

Balderrama said he had reviewed police body cameras, and the shooting appeared justified.

He added:

“The suspect was upset, had been drinking, made comments that he wanted to end his life at some point and sadly, he involved the police department.”

This story was originally published November 4, 2023 at 8:19 AM.