Domestic violence call leads to officer involved shooting

"... we believe he was actually trying to instigate our officers to fire at him,” Fresno Police Lt. Anthony Martinez said.

FRESNO – What first began as a domestic violence call ends with an officer involved shooting, where the suspect tried to use his car as a weapon against authorities on Thursday night.

Fresno Police arrested a 48-year-old man on the cross streets of Huntington and Lind Avenues in South Fresno. Police first received a call around 7:45 p.m. regarding a domestic violence disturbance.

Once police arrived to the house, located on the 5300 block of East Huntington Avenue, they discovered that the man was intoxicated and behind the wheel according to Fresno Police Lt. Anthony Martinez.

“As officers spoke with the woman involved with the dispute, an intoxicated man drove a car onto the lawn and tried to hit officers,” Martinez said. “One of the officers fired a round as a response to almost being hit.”

The man drove the vehicle on a paved driveway and dirt driveway, and ended up crashing between two RV’s in a backyard of one nearby house after a round was fired off. Police have not released the name of the man involved.

The man was stuck inside his car after crashing his vehicle, which prompted officers to break the back window of his car to safely bring him out of his damaged car. The man though was not cooperating with police authorities.

“He stood on the trunk and kept making furtive movements towards his back as if he was reaching for something, and we believe he was actually trying to instigate our officers to fire at him,” Martinez said.

At that time, officers didn’t open fire and arrested the man. He was also taken to Community Regional Medical Center to be checked out for a physical evaluation.

The man was not shot by the single round while driving in his car. Police have also said that the suspect has a history of domestic violence.

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