Che Noe Zuniga

Date: 8/7/2021            Location: Bakersfield, CA     FACTORS (1,2,4,5,8,12,14,15,19)   

Name: Che Noe Zuniga                                 

Criminal History/Involved: Yes, Zuniga was arrested in May 2021 for disobeying a domestic relations court order./ Yes, Zuniga shot at civilians, the police and a security guard.

Mental Illness: None stated, however running aggressively toward armed officers who have their weapons pointed at you commanding you to stop is suicidal and a sign of mental illness.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./ None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/21

Officer(s) involved: Bakersfield Police Officers C. Puryear, S. Mann, C. Dickson, D. Ramseur, and Senior Officer J. Pena.                                                          

What prompted the initial contact with police? At approximately 12:30 a.m. on August 7, 2021, police received 911 calls of domestic dispute involving a man, Che Noe Zuniga, with a gun followed by reports of shots being fired. Around 20 minutes later police received another 911 call that Zuniga shot at a security guard and then another call an hour after that reported he was in his truck at a family members house.

Actions taken by subject towards police: When police responded to that house and spotted Zuniga in his green truck, Zuniga drove off, taking them on a short chase before he crashed the truck and shot at the officers, injuring one when the bullets shattered the glass of the patrol car. When the officers shot back, Zuniga took off running through some yards, dropped his gun, and hid in a trash can.

Reactions by the police: Having tracked Zuniga down to the trashcan he was hiding in, the officers ordered him to put his hands up and surrender. Zuniga disregarded their commands and ran aggressively toward the officers. Fearing Zuniga still had some kind of weapon in his hand and was about to attack them with it, five officers opened fire on Zuniga, killing him.

Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: The California State Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Zuniga could still be alive if he had: not caused a domestic disturbance nor shot at a security guard; not shot at the police; complied with the police, showed his hands, and peacefully surrendered.

Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, deadly force was justified because when the officers encountered Zuniga, they had reasonable cause to believe he still had a weapon in his hand and intended to cause them serious physical harm or death as he ran toward them.