By Police1 Staff
SALINAS, Calif. — A cell phone video capturing a deadly encounter between Salinas police officers and a suspect wielding a pair of shears has gone viral.
The Californian reports that police received a call mid-day Tuesday of a man attacking a resident’s dog with gardening shears.
Police confronted the man outside of a local bakery and attempted to apprehend him. That is when police officials say the suspect lunged at the officers with the weapon.
A crowd quickly grew around the incident – shouting at officers and accusing them of excessive force.
According to KSBW, the suspect also exposed his genitals and made explicit comments to the resident who reported him.
Officers attempted to deploy a TASER during the incident, but it malfunctioned. Police were forced to open fire after multiple orders were ignored by the suspect.
“We ask the community to be patient and remain calm until enough facts are known so that a conclusion as to the appropriateness of the officers’ actions can be determined,” the department said in a statement.
The California department has faced criticism from city residents, according to the report. There have been three officer-involved shootings in Salinas this year. Demonstrators are calling for shootings over the past 10 years to be reviewed.