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Santa Ana Police Kill Driver After Traffic Stop Ends in Downtown Parking Garage

The Orange County district attorney has opened an independent review.

Overview

  • Officers attempted a traffic stop around 10:30 p.m. before a short, slow-speed pursuit led into the Spectrum Condos garage near Fourth and French streets.
  • Police say the driver exited, dropped a handgun, ignored commands, and reached for the weapon, prompting an officer to open fire.
  • A circulating video shows the driver with hands raised moments before shots, while police assert he then moved to retrieve the gun.
  • The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and his girlfriend and their 1-year-old child inside the car were not injured.
  • Authorities have not said why the vehicle was initially stopped, and the man’s identity has not been released as reports vary on his age between 18 and 19.