Police Slaying Victim Was Orange Resident
Authorities have identified a man fatally shot by a Santa Ana police officer Monday as Francisco Martinez, 23, of Orange. He may have been carrying a shotgun at the time of the shooting, Police Lt. George Saadeh said Tuesday.
Two officers on patrol spotted Martinez and another man in the 800 block of West Richland Street just after 4:15 p.m. Monday, Saadeh said. “The officers noticed something suspicious. At this point we don’t know what that was,” Saadeh said.
As the officers approached, the man with Martinez fled and one of the officers, who has not been identified, fired, striking Martinez once in the chest, reports state.
Martinez was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana where he died later Monday evening. The death is under investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office. Such inquiries are required in all shootings involving officers.
“We’re fairly certain the shotgun was in the hands of the decedent, but we want to be absolutely sure,” Saadeh said.
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