A police detective in Fresno, California fatally shot an assailant who attacked him inside police headquarters, authorities say.
According to the Fresno Police Department, a 24-year-old man named Joseph Roy somehow made his way into the detective’s office and began assaulting him with a “sharp object” on Tuesday morning. The detective then shot the man, killing him.
Roy was pronounced dead at the scene. The detective, who has not been named, was treated at a local hospital and has now been released.
“I am very glad to say that my officer’s gonna be OK,” Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a statement from the FPD, the detective “suffered one puncture wound to the top of his head, a large laceration starting from the top of his head down the right side of his face, and a concussion.”
Mr Balderrama said police are still trying to determine what object Roy used to attack the officer. He also added that Roy was about six feet tall and 300 pounds – “much larger” than his victim.
Police say they still don’t know why Roy attacked the detective, or how he got inside the building.
“From what we know right now, this person should not have been in here,” Mr Balderrama said, adding that Roy did not have an appointment or speak to any other police staff.
The incident is being investigated. One thing police do know is that earlier on Tuesday, Roy had been at a court hearing concerning an assault with a deadly weapon he was accused of committing – but it’s unclear how this relates to the attack, if at all.
“The motive for the assault on our detective has still not been determined,” the FPD said. “Detectives are working on collecting surveillance video footage from areas in and around our department headquarters.”
The Department added that this is the fourth officer-involved shooting this year – meaning there have been more than one per month so far.
The Independent has reached out to the FPD for more information.
