Story Updated at 5:55 p.m. on October 20, 2025
A 32-year-old man in Fresno police custody fatally shot himself Monday afternoon with an officer’s weapon while at Community Regional Medical Center, authorities said.
The man, who is white and from Fresno, fought with an officer at the hospital and managed to grab the officer’s gun, firing it “in a split second,” Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto said at a news conference Monday.
“Sometime here at the hospital — and we’re still trying to unravel all of it — the individual attacked the officer suddenly and was able to disarm him and then in split seconds, was able to shoot himself in the head with the firearm,” Casto said.
No one else was injured.
Suspect Went to Police Station With a Gun Earlier that Day
Earlier in the day, officers asked the man to come to a northwest Fresno police station after identifying him as a potential suspect in a retail theft ring, police said.
A fight began between him and officers and police used a taser on him four times before taking him into custody. Once subdued, they found he had a concealed gun in a bag, Casto said.
The man was transported to Community Regional Medical Center for a medical evaluation, which police said is standard procedure.
The Fresno Police Department said the incident remains under investigation.
Original Story
The Fresno Police Department told GV Wire that a person in custody has died at Community Regional Medical Center.
No additional details have been given by the department at this time.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.