Authorities said that a Central California police sergeant is recovering in hospital from bullet wounds after being “ambushed” by a gunman over the weekend. The gunman was later killed in an ensuing shootout and was then linked to a victim of homicide found in a home.
According to Fresno Interim Police Chief Mindy Castro, the shooting occurred on Saturday after a sergeant was dispatched with two patrol officers to investigate a ShotSpotter call for gunshot detection at around 5:23 pm.
Castro said that the sergeant and other officers, who were all 21-year veterans of the Fresno Police Department at the time, had been searching for evidence in a neighborhood east of Fresno’s downtown when the ambush took place. She said that the suspect, who was armed with an AR-style gun, drove past in a car, and opened fire without warning on the sergeant, who had been working on his laptop in a patrol vehicle.
Castro began her news conference at the scene of the shooting by saying, “A Fresno Police sergeant was attacked here tonight.”
Castro claimed that two other officers had been searching in the street for shell casings when they heard gunfire.
Castro said that the sergeant had been in his patrol car when the suspect suddenly returned and started firing at him. The car was strewn with bullets.
Castro stated that the sergeant whose name has not been released suffered from bullet wounds in his lower extremities.
Castro reported that the gunman – whose identity was not revealed – tried to flee but crashed a few blocks away.
Castro stated that despite being injured, the sergeant, along with the other officers, chased the suspect. They ended up in a shooting after the gunman exited his car and began firing at them.
The KFSN station of ABC Fresno obtained a Ring doorbell video from a residence that captured what appeared to be a dozen shots in the incident.
Castro stated that the sergeant was injured and collapsed after the suspect had been shot. He then radioed an ambulance to pick them up.
Castro reported that the suspect was later declared dead in a hospital.
According to a statement on the Facebook page of the police department, posted Sunday evening, the sergeant was still in hospital and in a stable condition.
Castro stated that she had viewed the body-camera video of the sergeant and described his and other officers’ actions when engaging the suspect in a manner “of calm and courage.”
Castro said that before the gunfight the police had obtained surveillance footage showing the suspect with a gun, as he left a nearby house and entered a vehicle matching the car involved in the ambush.
Castro stated that after the shooting officers forced their way into the house shown in the surveillance video and found a victim of homicide inside.
Castro said that it is still under investigation if the ShotSpotter activation which initially brought the officers to the site was due to the shooting in the residence.
Castro stated, “We’re still investigating this crime, as well as an ambush shooting which resulted in the death of one of our police officers.”
An autopsy is required to determine the identity of the victim.
