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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Before constabulary cars and transgression country portion filled this Northwest Fresno neighborhood, Gisela Gonzalez Merical said it had started arsenic a mean Saturday.
She was location astatine the West Pointe apartments with her babe miss and her husband, Joseph. But past she explains helium became violent.
"We were successful a home dispute, and my hubby is strangling me. I passed retired unconscious, and you know, determination were threats to maine and the baby," said Gisela.
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She shares it wasn't the archetypal clip Joseph had physically abused her. And she sadly knew what to bash erstwhile his hands wrapped astir her neck.
"When you're being strangled, you don't combat back. The much you combat backmost the much you panic and you gasp, and you're grasping for air, it's specified a scary feeling successful a mode to dice that you're like, 'these are my past moments' and you're conscionable grasping for oxygen," said Gisela.
When Gisela regained consciousness, she grabbed her babe and ran outside. No shoes, nary phone, nary mode to flight the area.
So, she rushed to the flat leasing bureau and called 911. She said constabulary arrived quickly.
"They made definite I was protected. They made definite the neighbors were protected and I'm truthful thankful for everything," said Gisela.
Officers made interaction with Joseph wrong the couple's flat - and accidental helium swung 2 knives astatine them.
They moved backmost extracurricular and tried negotiating for a harmless surrender, but aft respective hours, the time took different convulsive turn.
"He charged down the stairs from the second-story flat towards officers, equipped with 2 knives, astatine which clip they played little lethal ammunition. That was not successful, and lethal unit was used," said Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto.
Joseph aboriginal died astatine the hospital.
"There's a panic that radical conscionable don't understand. They're making cruel comments that helium deserved it, helium was stupid. It was stupid, it was a antheral that was desperate. It was a outcry for help. He has thing to lose," said Gisela.
Gisela said Joseph is simply a erstwhile Correctional Sergeant, astir precocious astatine the Central California Women's Prison successful Chowchilla.
Court records uncover helium was convicted of domestic-related charges successful 2023. Gisela explains those charges stem from a erstwhile relationship.
While serving time, Gisela said her hubby was an incarcerated firefighter. He had hoped to expunge his grounds truthful helium could prosecute a vocation successful firefighting.
"He made atrocious choices. He besides paid for his time. He took accountability for his actions, and helium was seeking help," said Gisela.
Gisela said Joseph suffered from terrible slump and alcoholism. He was successful court-appointed home unit classes on with cause and intoxicant related classes.
Now his widow is near with overwhelming emotions implicit the mode helium lived - and died.
"He knew amended not to enactment his hands connected me. And I'm aggravated astatine him for that. And I'm also, I'm besides grieving for my beingness partner. This is my husband. This is my protector. He was my everything," said Gisela
Gisela has acceptable up a GoFundMe relationship to assistance with ceremonial costs.
If you are the unfortunate of home abuse, oregon you cognize idiosyncratic who is, determination is assistance disposable 24/7. In Fresno County, telephone the Marjaree Mason Center astatine (559) 233-4357. In each different locations, telephone the National Domestic Violence Hotline astatine (800) 799-7233.
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