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.