A Selma California Police Officer was shot multiple times and killed. The shooting happened on 01/31/23 in the late morning.
Authorities said the officer had been on patrol in the area when he was flagged down by a resident about a suspicious person in a yard. The police officer investigated and contacted the suspect. The police officer was then shot several times by the 23-year-old suspect, according to the Selma Police Department.
When help arrived, the severely injured Police Officer was rushed to a local hospital, where officials say he later died.
Law Enforcement Officials stated that the shooting suspect fled the area.
Multiple local law enforcement agencies responded, the U.S. Marshals Service and the California Highway Patrol were among the responding departments. The shooting suspect was found and detained a short distance away by a deputy with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the suspect’s gun was recovered a short distance from where he was arrested.
Authorities added that that law enforcement agencies knew the suspect, and stated that he has a criminal background, including charges for firearms possession and robbery. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office also stated that the shooting suspect served time in prison and is currently on probation, due to the State’s prison realignment law.
It should be noted that the deceased officer never fired his gun during the incident.
“I’m absolutely outraged. I am horrified right now,” said Selma Police Chief Rudy Alcaraz during a press conference. “It appears from the surface that this was all avoidable, and that’s the unfortunate part”
At this time Investigators had not identified the suspect. And the suspect was wanted on porbation violation charges at the time.
In a statement, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp revealed that the officer was an expectant father. She added that the officer was the son of farmworkers.
Smittcamp wrote, “The shooter is an admitted gang member and has been arrested for several felony offenses that were prosecuted by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for charges related to robbery, weapons, and drugs”.
This is resported to be the first time a polcie officer with the Selma Police Department has been killed in the line of duty. Officials have not identified the Police Officer that was killed. They did say that he had served with the department for two years.
Selma California is in Fresno County, not far from the city of Fresno and is located between Bakersfield and Sacramento. The City’s Population as of 2021 is listed at 26,425.
Sources:
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
