Man who took gun from Fresno police was a former deputy. Why wasn’t he handcuffed?
The man who police said wrested a service weapon from a Fresno officer before turning it on himself at Community Regional Medical Center was a deputy in Madera County for less than a year, according to Sheriff Tyson Pogue.
Fresno police identified him as Isaac Hare, 32, of Fresno, and said he was not handcuffed at the moment he pulled a holstered gun from a Fresno officer.
Hare had been arrested on suspicion of impersonating an officer. Fresno police had used a Taser on him three times before taking him to Community Regional Medical Center, where he shot himself in the head with the officer’s service weapon, according to police.
Hare attended the Fresno Police Academy before being hired in Madera County in December 2016, Pogue said. Hare was released in September the following year.
Pogue, who has served in the Madera County sheriff’s office since 2001, said deputies are typically hired with a one-year probationary and can be let go for any reason during that time. He said Hare was terminated before becoming a permanent employee, but was not released following any specific incident.
“There wasn’t any kind of malfeasance,” Pogue said. “(Hare) wasn’t provided a reason. Sometimes they’re not fit for the position for whatever reason.”
The first year is used to gauge any deputy’s performance and suitability, Pogue said, adding he only remembered Hare as being friendly and outgoing.
He said he was told Hare was carrying a fake Madera County badge that appeared real as he impersonated an officer.
Ex-deputy wrested gun from Fresno police officer
Hare had been under investigation for organized-retail theft and allegedly impersonating a police officer, Chief Mindy Casto told reporters Monday outside CRMC.
Police said Wednesday that detectives had established probable cause to arrest Hare on Sunday night and had their first opportunity to arrest him on Monday inside the northwest precinct.
“The detectives attempted to take Hare into custody immediately upon greeting him as he walked in the door,” the police department said in an email.
Hare then fought with officers who went on to use the Taser on him. It was after that struggle, police said, that they discovered a gun in Hare’s satchel.
Hare was then transported to CRMC where, as policy dictates, an officer stayed with him, police said. He requested to use the restroom, and Fresno police policy allowed for his handcuffs to be briefly removed.
“It’s a decision the officer has to make based on a number of factors, while attempting to preserve the dignity of the arrestee on some level,” police said in the email.
The uncuffed Hare was able to pull the gun from the officer who was nearby before killing himself, police said. Hospital staff and patients were within several feet of Hare and the officer throughout the struggle, police said.
The officer attending to Hare has been on the force for about 1.4 years, according to police. The standard service weapon for Fresno police is a Glock 9mm.
The incident is under investigation by Fresno police, the Fresno District Attorney’s Office and Internal Affairs, police said.
Police said they could not find other records within the past three decades of a suspect taking a gun from a Fresno officer.
Community Regional Center and Fresno police policies
Fresno police and Community Regional Medical Center both said they have a collaborative relationship for determining policies for patients who are in custody.
The hospital’s policy allows for a patient’s handcuffs to be removed in some situations, including while in labor or under anesthesia as well as while the patient is using the restroom. The officer is required to stand in the hallway while the patient is using the restroom to prevent escape, the policy says.
Community Health System’s highest priority is the safety of patients, visitors and team members, according to Danny Davis, hospitals division president for Community Health System.
“We make every effort to balance the need for a safe environment with our responsibility to provide access to healthcare for all,” he said in a statement.
Hospital staff works with an array of law enforcement to routinely update safety policies.
“We are currently collaborating with Fresno Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to explore additional steps we could take to further enhance safety for everyone in our facilities, as any responsible organization would do,” he said.
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM.
