Man Dies After Being Shot by Policeman : Law enforcement: Garden Grove officer fires after suspect in assault reportedly grabs his baton during fight and hits him with it.

A police officer fatally wounded a man early Saturday during a fight in which the man reportedly gained control of the officer’s baton and struck him.

Baldanero Lopez, 23, of 12591 Morningside Ave., underwent emergency surgery at UCI Medical Center in Orange and died just before 7 a.m., less than five hours after police responded to a disturbance call outside his home.

The altercation began when a pair of officers found Lopez in the street outside his apartment complex about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, and escorted him home. Upon arriving at the apartment, Lopez’s brother, 22-year-old Joaquin Lopez, started a fight with the officers, Sgt. Dan Lyons said.

During the ensuing brawl, Baldanero Lopez grabbed one officer’s nightstick and struck the officer. In response, the officer shot Lopez once with his service revolver.

The Lopez brothers were both arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. Baldanero Lopez was taken to UCI Medical Center, and Joaquin Lopez was booked at the Orange County Jail.

The officers were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and released Saturday morning. Baldanero died at the hospital at 6:52 a.m.

Garden Grove Mayor W.E. (Walt) Donovan said he learned of the shooting Saturday when he was called at home by Police Chief Stanley L. Knee. Donovan said he was assured that the shooting was justified, but said he would review all reports on the incident.

“The chief told me there were witnesses that said the officer acted properly, and I’m sure we will get additional information with all the reports and investigations that are being done,” he said.

Garden Grove police refused to release any other details about the shooting, including the identities of the officers involved. The Orange County district attorney’s office is investigating the incident, as is routine with all officer-involved shootings, but results of that probe will likely not be announced for several months.

The Lopez slaying was the second officer-involved shooting this year in which a suspect was killed by a Garden Grove officer, said Lt. John Woods.

On Jan. 6, a young man armed with a pistol was fatally shot by police as he stepped out of a car where a sexual assault had reportedly taken place. A supermarket manager who witnessed the shooting said the man did not cooperate when police ordered him to the ground.