A 27-year-old Orange County man was shot dead by police last month in what appears to have been an intentional ploy to get officers to open fire on him, authorities announced Monday.
The June 15 incident began just after 5 a.m. when Fullerton Police Department dispatchers received a 911 call from a person reporting a male suspect armed with a knife who was threatening people in the 200 block of East Imperial Highway.
“The reporting party told the call taker he was a victim of weapon brandishing and to send multiple officers due to the male’s dangerous behavior,” a FPD news release stated.
At the scene, officers located a man armed with what appeared to be two knives that matched the suspect description.
In body-worn camera footage released by authorities, officers are seen telling the man, later identified as Brea resident Lorenzo Roger Hills III, to drop the weapons.
When Hills failed to obey, one of the officers is heard in the footage saying, “Hey, have that 40 ready,” presumably referring to a less-lethal weapon that fires 40mm sponge rounds that was carried by another officer at the scene.