FRESNO, Calif. (KERO) — The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has released information about an incident they say happened around noon on Monday, May 15.
According to an FCSO press release, that's when someone doing work along the 3300 block of Beran Way in Fresno reported seeing a man with a machete "behaving strangely." The worker called Fresno deputies and tried to leave the area. According to the press release, the worker says the man chased after the workers' vehicle, beating on it with the machete as the worker drove away.
The release states the man then went and retrieved an axe and was swinging both that and the machete around when Fresno Sheriff's deputies arrived.
FCSO says the man refused to follow orders to drop the weapons, and the report says he "began to challenge" deputies. Deputies say they used less-lethal bean bags at the man, but they say that did not appear to stop him.
According to the press release, the man "lunged toward deputies," and one of those deputies fired his gun, hitting the suspect in the leg. FCSO says deputies rendered medical aid to the man until medical transport arrived.
FCSO says the man is expected to survive. No deputies or civilians were injured. The investigation into this incident is ongoing. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to contact Detective Rudy Tafoya with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office at (559) 600-8207 or Valley CrimeStoppers at (559) 498-7867. You can also contact Valley CrimeStoppers through their website.
