FRESNO, Calif. — A Fresno police officer narrowly avoided injury after a suspect fired a handgun at him during a struggle in an alley, striking the top of the officer’s baseball cap and knocking it off his head, according to a critical incident video released by the Fresno Police Department.
The shooting occurred Dec. 7, 2025, near West Clinton and Northwest avenues.
According to the department’s briefing released on Feb. 27, an officer, identified as Officer No. 1, was patrolling the area when he saw two men standing in an alley near a warming fire. He recognized one of the men as 41-year-old Bradley Nicholson, whom he knew to be on post-release community supervision.
The officer got out of his cruiser and walked up to Nicholson. When contacted, Nicholson identified himself as “Jason” and denied being on parole.
Body-worn camera video shows the officer asking Nicholson to put his hands behind his back. Nicholson resisted, repeatedly saying he was not on parole. The officer warned that a TASER would be used if he did not comply.
During the struggle, Nicholson pulled a handgun.
Video shows Officer No. 1 backing away as Nicholson points the firearm at him twice before firing. The bullet struck the top of the officer’s cap, knocking it from his head.
In the video, the officer later describes feeling a burning sensation as the round passed through his hair.
“Shots fired, shots fired,” an officer can be heard saying over the radio.
Officer No. 1 returned fire and pursued Nicholson as he ran westbound through the alley.
Officer No. 2, who had just arrived with a third officer, exited his patrol vehicle and saw Nicholson running armed with a handgun. In a post-incident statement, Officer No. 2 said he saw Officer No. 1’s hat fly off and believed Nicholson had shot and possibly killed him.
Officer No. 2 discharged his service weapon as Nicholson ran behind vehicles in a carport while still armed.
Standoff ends with surrender
Officers established containment and attempted to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly ordering Nicholson to drop the gun and surrender.
At one point, Officer No. 1 reported over the radio that Nicholson was lighting and smoking from a methamphetamine pipe. Officers could also see that Nicholson had been injured.
The Fresno Police Department’s SWAT team and crisis negotiations unit responded and took over communications.
Approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes after Nicholson initially fired at Officer No. 1, he dropped the firearm and surrendered. He was taken into custody without further incident.
Nicholson sustained a gunshot wound to his left cheek and was transported to a hospital in critical but stable condition. He survived his injuries.
Officer No. 1 was not physically injured.
Weapon recovered; investigation ongoing
Nicholson was armed with a Lorson .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun, according to the department.
No officers or uninvolved community members were injured.
The investigation into the officer-involved shooting remains ongoing.
