#policja

Fresno, California — On July 30, 2023, at 10:32 a.m., an officer with the Fresno Police Department responded to the 100 block of East Warner Avenue regarding a report of a vehicle that had been abandoned in the roadway. While the officer was in the process of having the vehicle towed, he was approached by a community member who told him that there was a young male on a scooter nearby that had a gun. The officer alerted Fresno Police dispatch of the community member’s report. As the officer drove southbound on North Effie Street, he observed a subject that matched the description of the subject reportedly armed with the gun. The officer notified dispatch, pulled to the side of the road and made contact with the subject. The officer ordered the subject, who was wearing a ski mask, to raise his hands and get down on his knees.

The subject complied, got down on his knees but then began to reach for an object in his waistband. The officer told him to raise his hands, but he continued to reach for the object. The subject pulled a gun from his waistband. Upon seeing this, the officer discharged his service weapon. The officer immediately requested paramedics and began to render first aid while they responded. The subject was transported to the hospital, he is listed in stable condition and is expected to recover from his injury. It was determined later that the subject was a 15-year-old juvenile. At the scene, the officer recovered the juvenile’s unloaded Glock 19 X .177 caliber bb pistol. The weapon is a replica of a Glock semiautomatic handgun with all Glock stampings. The juvenile was cited for PC 417.4 (brandishing an imitation firearm) and released to the custody of his guardian. The investigation into this critical incident is ongoing.

Silver Spring, Maryland — On July 22, 2023, at approximately 10:35 a.m., officers with the Montgomery County Police Department responded to a business in the 12200 block of Veirs Mill Road for the report of a stabbing. Once on scene, they located one adult woman stabbing victim. Approximately one minute after the first 911 call a second 911 call was received for two women stabbed in the 4100 block of Colie Drive. Upon officers’ arrival, they located two women suffering from stab wounds and discovered an adult male suffering from a superficial stab wound. Officers obtained a description of the male suspect and began canvassing the area for him.

At least one officer located a man matching the description armed with a knife in the 4300 block of Havard Street. The suspect was later identified as 19-year-old Franklin Castro Ordonez of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Body cam footage shows Officer Justin Lee gave commands for Castro Ordonez to drop the knife, but he did not comply and then advanced toward the Officer Lee while holding the knife. Officer Lee discharged his firearm several times striking Castro Ordonez. Officers called for EMS and performed CPR. Castro Ordonez was pronounced dead on scene. A knife was recovered near Castro Ordonez at the shooting scene. No officers were injured. Three of the stabbing victims were taken to area hospitals. The fourth victim was treated on the scene and released.

Merced County, California — On March 11, 2023, a Merced County Sheriff’s deputy detained Louis Jackson following a crash in which he was suspected of driving under the influence, according to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office. Former Sergeant, 42-year-old Dustin Witt responded to the scene to assist and during the encounter, Witt kicked Jackson in the head several times, according to the distinct attorney’s office. By June, Witt resigned after the Sheriff's Office launched an internal affairs investigation. Witt has been charged with assault by a public officer, assault likely to cause great bodily injury and an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.

Witt was still serving as a deputy despite a 2019 demotion and misdemeanor conviction following a drunken brawl during which he and another deputy, who was also a Merced City Council member, beat up another peace officer and a bystander. The bar brawl on Dec. 15, 2018, followed a Sheriff’s Office Christmas party where Witt admitted to “heavy drinking,” according to the Merced Sun-Star.