FRESNO, Calif. – A critical incident video involving the shooting of 33-year-old Max Sosa Jr. by a Fresno police officer was released on Friday, shedding light on the events that unfolded on November 4, 2023, in northwest Fresno. The video, released by the Fresno Police, begins with the 911 call made by Sosa’s estranged wife, who reported that he was threatening to kill himself.
The footage reveals that officers arrived at the scene in response to the call around 3 a.m. and attempted to make contact with Sosa, who was seen driving his white Tesla in the parking lot of the complex. The video shows Sosa driving his car towards one of the officers, narrowly missing him, and then taunting him, saying, “You want to play a game?”
In an attempt to stop Sosa, the officer, who had his gun in hand, pursued him as he drove off. The video later shows Sosa returning to the apartment where the call originated, armed with kitchen shears. He can be heard arguing and threatening the officers, as well as making statements about shooting someone and forcing the officers to shoot him.
When Sosa moved towards the officers with the shears, they attempted to tase him in close proximity, but it proved unsuccessful. Ultimately, the video shows Sosa charging at the officers with the shears, which led them to open fire and fatally shoot him.
Sosa’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court, seeking damages. They believe that the situation could have been handled differently, alleging mishandling by the officers who did not call in a specialized unit to deescalate the mental health crisis that Sosa was experiencing.
The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.