City of Fullerton, CA
03/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/29/2024 19:01
Critical Incident Community Briefing – In-Custody Death
Critical Incident Community Briefing - In-Custody Death
On March 6, 2024, at 3:01 AM, Fullerton Police Officers responded to the McDonalds, located at 1341 S. Brookhurst Rd. regarding two males that were standing at the entrance, possibly under the influence of drugs.
Post Date:03/29/2024 5:45 PM
On March 6, 2024, at 3:01 AM, Fullerton Police Officers responded to the McDonalds, located at 1341 S. Brookhurst Rd. regarding two males that were standing at the entrance, possibly under the influence of drugs. The reporting party, who was the manager of the business, was concerned for the employees' safety as they began to arrive for work.
Officers arrived on scene and contacted one male adult, with no shirt who was uncooperative with officers' commands. The male began swinging a belt at officers as they attempted to contact him. Additional officers were requested and once they arrived, they utilized a taser to attempt to subdue the suspect, which was ineffective. The suspect continued to act erratically and was uncooperative as he refused to comply with officers' commands. Officers then utilized a less lethal kinetic energy projectile, commonly referred to as a bean bag round, and struck the suspect, allowing officers to take him into custody. At this time in the investigation, it is believed the suspect sustained a significant injury to the chest area as a result of the use of the less lethal kinetic energy projectile.
Officers began life-saving measures while paramedics responded. The suspect was transported to a local trauma center where he was later pronounced deceased.
In an effort to be transparent with the community that we serve, the Fullerton Police Department is releasing its sixth Critical Incident Community Briefing, which will provide details to the community about the incident, as we know them today. This includes Body Worn Camera (BWC) video footage from the incident itself, still photos, and police radio traffic.
Please keep in mind this is an initial review, and our understanding of this incident could possibly change as additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed. The Fullerton Police Department also does not draw any conclusions as to whether or not our officers acted within our department policy, and the law, until all the facts are known, and the independent investigation by the Orange County District Attorney is complete.
With the July 1, 2019 implementation of California Assembly Bill 748, California police agencies are required to release any relevant video or audio pertaining to the critical incident within 45 days. The California State Legislature allows for this 45 day release timeframe because there is an understanding that critical incidents are often complex, sensitive investigations, and it takes time to complete them in a thorough manner.
As a reminder, while body worn cameras are an excellent investigative tool, they do not always show what the officers may have seen, and vice versa, the officers don't always see and experience what the body camera footage shows. We ask that the community keep this in mind when viewing these videos.
Please be advised, the images and content of this Critical Incident Community Briefing are graphic, and viewer discretion is advised
The Critical Incident Community Briefing, which is roughly 17-minutes in length, can be found by clicking the link below: