An incident at Lemon Park in Fullerton has left one man dead after a confrontation with police officers. The Fullerton Police Department reported that the man, found in the park after hours holding a smoldering cardboard box, displayed erratic behavior which escalated when officers approached him. The situation intensified as the man became uncooperative and began to resist physically, KTLA detailed.
It was said that several officers had difficulty gaining control over the individual, necessitating additional backup. In the process, the man "violently bit an officer in the arm, causing injuries," the Fullerton Police Department stated in an Instagram post. The injured officer was later treated at a local hospital and released.
Paramedics arrived to aid both the suspect and the injured officer. However, the man then manifested signs of a medical emergency. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The name of the deceased has not yet been released, pending notification of the next of kin by the Orange County Coroner.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation to uncover the circumstances leading to, and the cause and manner of, the man's death while in custody.
