Fresno, California — On Thursday, October 5, 2023, shortly before 12:30 a.m., officers from the Fresno Police Department’s Northwest Policing District responded to a convenience store in the 5600 block of North Fig Garden Drive regarding a report of a stabbing victim. While officers arrived and provided first aid to the victim, witnesses provided a description of the suspect. The Fresno Police Department’s helicopter, Air1, located a subject matching the description in a nearby church parking lot. Assisting officers responded to the parking lot to make contact. Officers located the subject, later identified as 45-year-old Samuel Davidson-Rollin, in the parking lot.

While maintaining a safe distance, officers made contact with him. Davidson-Rollin approached the officers, carrying both a knife and a canister of pepper spray. Despite commands from the officers, Davidson-Rollin did not stop approaching the officers nor drop the weapons he held. Davidson-Rollin continued advancing towards officers, spraying pepper spray at them. When Davidson-Rollin reached a distance of approximately 10 feet from the officers, two officers discharged their firearms. Officers provided aid to Davidson-Rollin, who was transported to CRMC for treatment of his injuries. Davidson-Rollin is expected to survive his injuries.

Los Angeles, California — On October 14, 2023, at around 1:30 a.m., Central Division uniformed officers were in the area of South Broadway and 7th Street, when they were flagged down by a community member, directing them to a man armed with a knife. The officers located the suspect, later identified as 47-year-old Earl Callier, and ordered him to drop the knife. Callier refused to comply with commands and continued walking north on South Broadway toward 6th Street while still holding the knife. Officers deployed 40mm Less-Lethal-Launchers (LLL), which were ineffective, and Callier ran north on South Broadway.

Callier continued east on 6th Street toward a group of pedestrians, when officers deployed an additional 40mm LLL. Still armed with the knife, Callier ran into the street and charged at an officer, resulting in an Officer-Involved Shooting. Callier was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground, where he was subsequently taken into custody without further incident. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and transported Callier by rescue ambulance to a local hospital where he is listed in stable condition. No officers or other community members were injured as result of this incident. A kitchen-style knife, with a five-inch serrated blade, was recovered at scene and booked as evidence.

Denver, Colorado — On Thursday, October 19, around 6:15 p.m., Denver Police officers were called to a Whole Foods store near Union Station for a report of someone brandishing a knife. Upon arrival, they found the man, 33-year-old Latif Robinson, with a 13-inch knife. Officers tried to negotiate with the suspect and offered him food, a place to stay, access to a hospital, money and a chance to charge his phone in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

When the man began walking toward an officer, he fired at him. Another officer shot a taser, hitting the man and bringing him down. The initial gunfire did not hit the suspect. The Taser made contact with the suspect and the gunshot struck a freezer. The suspect was taken into custody and is facing a charge of felony menacing, but officials are also seeking to connect the suspect with mental health resources. The store was also evacuated after shoppers were told to take cover.