Fresno police release bodycam of officers shooting and killing man who threatened to kill himself
By: A Fresno family is mourning the loss of a loved one and seeking answers about a deadly officer-involved shooting.
Fresno Police shot and killed 33-year-old Max Sosa Jr. during the early morning hours of November 4.
In the 911 audio edited and released by the police department on Friday, you can hear a frantic caller pleading for help.
"I need you to please come to my apartment," Sosa's estranged wife said in a 911 call. "My ex, he's threatening to kill himself."
Officers arrived at the Dante Apartment complex in Northwest Fresno, but body-cam footage showed Sosa speeding away.
Police say officers tried pursuing him but lost sight.
About 40 minutes later, police spoke with Sosa on a tense phone call.
"There's nothing you can do. When a man like this hits rock bottom, that's it," Sosa is heard saying on the call.
Moments later, Sosa goes back to the apartment with scissors.
"You ready for this?" Sosa asked.
"Hey bro, don't do it. Dude, don't do it," an officer responded.
For nearly five minutes, Sosa waves the scissors around as his wife pleads with him to stop.
At one point, Sosa seems to challenge the officers.
"Have you shot anybody before? Today's gonna be the day," Sosa said.
"Max, stop, dude," an officer replied. "It doesn't have to be the day."
For a moment, the situation seemed like it could be cooling. Sosa walks out of the apartment, away from his wife.
As Sosa approaches another officer with the scissors briefly behind his back, he is tased.
He then appears to lunge forward.
The next part of the body cam video shows Sosa the seconds before being shot.
Action News has chosen to freeze the video moments before the shooting.
"Stop," an officer said. You can then hear the gunfire in the video.
Officers fired several gunshots, killing the Sosa at the scene.
In the video released by the department, they highlighted the shears in Sosa's hand with a red circle.
On Friday, Sosa's family watched the bodycam footage at police headquarters in Downtown Fresno.
Their attorney, Keven Little, told Action News that Fresno Police failed.
"We saw someone who clearly was having a mental health crisis, and he needed help from trained professionals," Little said. "And it seems like there was time to arrange that. But instead, what he dealt with were armed police officers."
Sosa's family wants the Fresno Police Department to release all of the unedited bodycam footage from the officers during the incident.
Little says officers should have let the situation play out and addressed it with mental health resources.