1 week ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Bodycam video showing the position of Fresno Police officers who responded to a home unit telephone earlier this twelvemonth was released by the section connected Friday.
The incidental took spot connected Aug. 23, 2025, successful the country of Ashlan and Blythe avenues successful Fresno.
The officers were responding to a 911 telephone after constabulary accidental a pistillate reported her hubby (previously reported boyfriend) had strangled her. Officers arrived aft the pistillate escaped the flat with her baby. The suspect, aboriginal identified by constabulary arsenic 35-year-old Joseph Merical, later died aft helium was changeable by constabulary pursuing an hours-long standoff.
Bodycam video begins with the 911 call. According to police, the caller described that her hubby bushed her and strangled her unconscious earlier she escaped with her babe and called 911. The caller past described her determination and told constabulary that her hubby was inactive wrong the apartment, informing officers that her hubby whitethorn harm himself due to the fact that helium did not privation to spell backmost to prison.
Officers arrived astatine the flat to find a barricade extracurricular the beforehand door. They moved the barricade retired of the mode and past tried to participate done the beforehand door. For astir 90 minutes, constabulary accidental they attempted to pass with Joseph Merical. Officers past smashed a model to region a unsighted spot and pushed the barricaded doorway open.
That's erstwhile constabulary accidental Merical attempted to stab officers done the unfastened door. You tin ticker that information of the incidental successful the video subordinate below:
After being threatened with the knives, Fresno Police accidental officers past backed distant from the doorway and maintained information astir the apartment. They besides called for situation negotiators and SWAT to respond to the flat complex.
At astir 8:15 p.m., officers accidental Joseph Merical opened the flat doorway and walked down the stairs, holding a weapon successful each hand. Officers commanded him to stop, but helium continued advancing toward them. Officers accidental they archetypal utilized less-lethal rounds, which had nary effect, earlier different officers changeable Merical. Merical past fell to the ground.
Officers accidental they instantly provided aesculapian assistance to Joseph Merical until paramedics arrived. The pistillate who called 911 received insignificant injuries and was treated astatine the scene; the victim's kid was not injured.
Police besides released a representation of the 2 knives recovered beside Joseph Merical aft helium was shot.
The afloat video, arsenic uploaded by the Fresno Police Department to YouTube, can beryllium viewed by clicking here.
