Investigation underway into Costa Mesa officer-involved shooting of man who charged at police with knife

The Orange County district attorney’s office is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Costa Mesa early Sunday morning after a man wielding a knife allegedly refused to drop his weapon and charged at police officers on scene, officials reported.

Costa Mesa Police Department issued a release Tuesday describing the incident, which began at around 5:10 a.m. Sunday with a 911 call from someone at a residence on the 600 block of Baker Street. The caller referenced some kind of trouble involving an adult male, the release stated.

Upon their arrival, officers attempted to speak to the man to determine what had happened, but the suspect began walking away from the scene toward Enterprise Street, according to the release. That’s when officers noticed the man was holding a knife.

“Officers attempted to get him to stop and drop the knife,” the release stated. “The man brandished the knife and charged at the officers. The individual did not respond to commands made by the officers to drop the weapon, at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred.”

Information on whether or how many times the man was struck was not immediately available, but officials confirmed in Tuesday’s release that responders from Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue treated arm wounds sustained by the suspect.

The man was transported to a nearby hospital trauma center where, as of Tuesday afternoon, he was listed in stable condition. No other parties or officers were injured during Sunday’s incident. Officers retrieved two knives and two box cutters from the scene.

Although one spokesperson confirmed the age of the suspect is 28, representatives from Costa Mesa Police Department and the district attorney’s office would not release his name, citing a pending investigation.

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