A 19-year-old man who police say was armed with a knife — and what turned out to be a pellet gun resembling a Smith & Wesson handgun — was fatally shot by officers during a confrontation in Fullerton late Saturday night, authorities said Sunday, March 16.
Police were dispatched around 11:50 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 700 block of West Orangethorpe Avenue, where the caller said his brother Pedro Garcia had a knife and swung it at his father, according to police and Garcia’s family.
In an interview on Sunday, some family members disputed some of the police officers’ version of what came next, and said they were horrified by the deadly shooting.
Police said as a party was going on inside the home, they found a man matching the description outside on the sidewalk. He was uncooperative when given several commands, said Fullerton police Sgt. Billy Phu in an interview with OC Hawk News, a freelance videographer.
Initially, officers tried to subdue the man with less than lethal force, they said. But at one point, the man abruptly lifted his shirt and removed what looked like a Smith & Wesson handgun, police said in a news release.
Officers opened fire. Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene. What turned out to be a pellet gun was located near him, police said.
Several family members had a different account of what led up to the shooting.
Within minutes of the call, about 30 police cars pulled into the neighborhood, they said.
By the time officers arrived, they added, a few men attending the party had already removed the knife from Garcia before he ran outside.
The family members said Garcia was on the phone with his aunt and did not have anything in his other hand when police pointed their guns at him. None of them could recall seeing Garcia hold or pull out anything that could resemble a weapon.
Family members who witnessed the shooting also disputed that police initially tried to subdue him with less-than-lethal force.
Garcia’s mother and others said they were ignored by officers as they repeatedly yelled in both English and Spanish, “He doesn’t have anything!” said Gabriela Ordonez Campos, his mother.
The family said they heard around 30 shots, and that police continued to shoot at Garcia even after he was on the ground.
“It sounded like you were hearing the 4th of July,” Garcia’s aunt, Anna Montero, said of the gunshots. “Why did they keep shooting when he was already down?”
As standard protocol, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an investigation into the shooting, and Fullerton police detectives will investigate any potential criminal acts by the suspect. Police will issue a report and video about the shooting within 45 days.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the Fullerton Police Department at 714-738-6754. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227 or visit the website at www.p3tips.com/913.