A 9-1-1 call led to a tragic officer-involved shooting in Fullerton on March 15, 2025, when police encountered a 19-year-old male reportedly armed with a knife and threatening a family member.

Emergency dispatch received the call at 11:51 PM, which detailed that the suspect had swung a knife at his father during a domestic dispute. Upon arrival at the residence in the 700 block of W. Orangethorpe Ave., officers located a male matching the description on the sidewalk outside the home.

Despite repeated commands from officers, the suspect was noncompliant. In a sudden turn of events, he lifted his shirt and pulled what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband, prompting an officer-involved shooting.

Officers immediately began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. A pellet gun, closely resembling a Smith & Wesson handgun, was recovered near the suspect.

No officers or other individuals were injured during the incident.

As part of standard protocol, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting, while the Fullerton Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons Detectives are looking into the suspect’s potential criminal actions before the shooting.

The identity of the deceased suspect will be released by the Orange County Coroner.

According to state law, all relevant videos, recordings, and images related to the incident will be made public within 45 days through a Critical Incident Community Briefing Video.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities believe there may be additional witnesses or victims who encountered the suspect before the shooting. Any individuals with information are encouraged to contact Fullerton PD Detective N. Valdes at (714) 738-6754. Those wishing to remain anonymous can reach out to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1(855) TIP-OCCS or visit their website at http://www.p3tips.com/913.