The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has concluded its investigation into the March 6, 2024, fatal officer-involved shooting of 50-year-old Alejandro Campos Rios in Fullerton, determining that no criminal charges will be filed according to a letter sent to Fullerton Police Chief Jon Radus (see below).

Campos Rios died after being struck by a less-lethal bean bag round during an early morning confrontation outside a McDonald’s at 1341 S. Brookhurst Road.

Police were dispatched at approximately 2:55 am after an employee reported two men appearing to be under the influence of drugs near the restaurant entrance. The caller said she feared for coworkers arriving for work and reported seeing a small torch but no weapons.

Responding officers encountered Campos Rios, who was shirtless and holding a black nylon belt with a metal buckle. Authorities said he yelled, sang and swung the belt while ignoring repeated commands in English and Spanish to drop the belt and sit down.

Additional officers arrived, including Cpl. Nicholas Jarvis, who retrieved a 12-gauge less-lethal shotgun from his patrol vehicle. Officers attempted to gain compliance using verbal commands, a Taser and “dry spark” warnings, investigators said.

According to the district attorney’s summary, Campos Rios advanced toward officers while swinging the belt. After a Taser deployment appeared ineffective, Cpl. Jarvis fired multiple bean bag rounds. On the fifth discharge, a round penetrated Campos Rio’s chest. Officers immediately requested paramedics and began lifesaving efforts.
Campos Rios was transported to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:55 am.

An autopsy conducted by the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner determined the cause of death was a penetrating chest injury to the heart with bilateral hemothorax. The manner of death was classified as homicide, a medical-legal term indicating death at the hands of another person, not a legal determination of criminal liability.

The District Attorney’s Office said investigators conducted 18 witness interviews and reviewed body-worn camera footage, dispatch recordings, forensic evidence, autopsy and toxicology reports, and other materials. Jarvis provided a voluntary statement on March 12, 2024.

In its legal analysis, the office cited California law and U.S. Supreme Court precedent governing police use of force, including standards requiring that force be objectively reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances.

After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Cpl. Jarvis acted unlawfully. The review was limited to potential criminal liability and did not address departmental policy, tactics or civil liability.