Update: Domestic violence suspect killed by Fresno police after charging officers
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fresno police shot a domestic violence suspect after a multi-hour standoff.
- The suspect charged officers with knives after failed de-escalation attempts.
- This marks the fifth officer-involved shooting in Fresno in 2025 to date.
A domestic violence suspect was shot by police Saturday evening after an hour-long standoff at an apartment near Ashlan Avenue and Highway 99.
The man charged at officers armed with two knives, Police Chief Mindy Casto said in an update at the scene. The suspect was taken to a local hospital and his condition was unknown. No officers were injured.
Police were notified at 2 p.m. of an incident at an apartment in the 4100 block of North Blythe Avenue. When officers arrived, they found a victim who told them that her boyfriend had strangled her unconscious, Casto said The victim had escaped the apartment with her baby before calling 911.
Contacted by investigating officers, the suspect remained in the apartment.
Officers received a key and attempted to go inside, but the door was being blocked. The officers continued to ask the suspect to come out but retreated when the man brandished knives and refused to cooperate.
Officers continued with negotiations via texts, phone calls and loudspeaker, but the suspect didn’t comply.
Police surrounded the apartment and the SWAT team also responded to the scene.
Around six hours after the initial call came in, the suspect charged down the stairs from the second-story apartment towards officers while armed with two knives, Casto said.
A less-lethal weapon was used, Casto said, but it was not successful. Shots were then fired by officers at the suspect, who had serious injuries. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Joseph Merical, later died at the hospital.
The suspect was facing multiple domestic violence charges and was on parole for domestic violence.
The woman was doing OK, Casto said.
Casto said a sergeant and an officer shot at the suspect. Both have been with the department for a long time, Casto said.
This was the fifth officer-involved shooting in 2025 for the Fresno Police Department.
This story was originally published August 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM.
