Hello, I am Commander Oscar Lazardi of the Sana Police Department. What you're about to view is a critical incident community video briefing. In the event of a critical incident, we strive to disseminate as much information as possible at the earliest opportunity contingent upon the progress of the investigation. These briefings intend to provide the public with open and transparent communication regarding officer involved critical incidents. These briefings are based on the facts we know at the time of the video briefing. They contain information obtained from numerous sources, including but not limited to dispatch audio, video evidence, and witness or victim statements. The Saint Police Department takes the use of force by its officers very seriously and conducts thorough investigations into these incidents, often in conjunction with other investigative agencies. These investigations typically require interviews with numerous witnesses, the review of audio and video evidence, and analyzing extensive amounts of forensic evidence. As a result, these investigations can take up to a year to complete. At this point in the investigation, no conclusions have been drawn concerning whether our officers acted consistently with our policies and the law. Please be advised, critical incidents are often highly stressed and emotional for those involved. As a result of this stress and emotion, audio and video recordings may contain strong language and digital images may be graphic. Warning, some viewers may find these videos disturbing and unsuitable for children. Hello, I am Officer Natalie Garcia, the public information officer for the Saint Anana Police Department. I will provide you with a brief overview of an officer involved shooting that occurred on January 1st, 2025. At 8:42 p.m., Sana Police Dispatch received a report of a man potentially under the influence of narcotics. He was brandishing a knife in the driveway of a residence and threatening a woman identified as his mother. The individual was described as a male in his 40s dressed in a red shirt and blue track pants. Approximately 1 minute later at 8:43 p.m. patrol officers were dispatched to the residence located on Sharon Road in Saint Ana. As officers were in route, Sana police dispatch maintained communication with the reporting party to gather additional information. Given the imminent danger as reported by the caller, officers were advised to proceed with heightened urgency responding code three, meaning lights and sirens. You will hear select segments of the call. The identity and personal identifying information of the reporting party has been redacted for privacy. Police 911 police or paramedics? Yes. Uh, I I need help. My next door neighbor is being attacked. Okay. What's the address? Uh, I'm at And that's where the help is needed. Or is that your house? Um, no, that's my house. Uhhuh. Okay. And what's going on there? Who's attacking her? Um uh my uh her son is on drugs and does he have a gun? He has a knife to her. Yeah. Okay. Did she did she come to your home or how do you know this? I know this um uh she's the caregiver of um the other tenant at the house and uh that tenant came over uh to get me. And when I Okay. So, the tenant witnessed this happening? Yes. I went outside. So, the tenant saw that the neighbor's son has a knife. Yes. When I was out to help her. Do we know the son's name? I do not know her that her son's name. Henry. Henry. Okay. Do you know what Henry's last name or how old he might be? What is name? He does not know. Did you see what he's wearing or No. Um, he was wearing a red shirt and a blue um like a blue track pant. Okay. And did you did he say how old he appears to be? Uh, I do not know. You don't know? Okay. If you had to guess, any idea or no? 20, 30, 40, 50s? I I probably put him in his 40s. In his 40s. Okay. And you said he uses drugs. Do you know what kind? Um yelled he's on drugs. Okay. But you don't know what drugs. Just that he's on I do not know, ma'am. Okay. Okay. And the caretaker went back inside the home. No. No. She he is holding her outside the house. So your neighbor, which the Henry's outside now? Uh he has her um he's holding her right outside their house. Do you see that? Um I don't. Okay. What's the female neighbor's name? The one you're call How old is she? 70. Okay. And you don't know if he's hurt her at this time? Correct. I I I do not. Okay. Did you see what she's wearing or you don't see her? Um, hold on. Let me I can go look on the side of the house. Okay. So, they're in the front yard. They are in the driveway of the house. Okay. They are still there. Is he still holding the knife to her? Yes. Okay. At 8:50 p.m., officers arrived on scene and advised dispatch the suspect was holding a woman at knife point in the driveway of the residence. In order to deescalate the situation, an officer issued several verbal commands to the suspect. Thereafter, an officer involved shooting occurred. Dispatch was advised of the officer involved shooting and additional officers responded to assist. Orange County Fire Authority personnel were also requested to administer medical aid to the suspect. Officers from the Santa Ana Police Department are issued bodywn cameras to be worn at chest level to provide a general perspective of the officer. When the bodywn camera is activated, it goes back 30 seconds and starts recording. During this pre-record buffer, audio is not captured. This feature is designed to capture police activity that occurs suddenly. It is important to understand that an officer's actions can sometimes obscure the bodywn camera. During this incident, the involved officers had body warn cameras on and the cameras were actively recording their interactions with the suspect. You will now see body warn camera footage from both officers cameras in the moments preceding the officer involved shooting. Hey, Nick over. You're gonna be shot. Let go of her. You're gonna be shot. He He already got a knife. Let go of her. He himself. He want to get himself. Let go of her. Let go of her. Let me go. Let go of her. Let go of her. No. You got to use the other one. Please. Let go. You're going to get shot. All right. 323 alpha me 998. We're going to have one down. Still the knife still in his hand. Hey, let go. Let go of her. You're going to be shot. Let go of her. You're going to be shot. She already got a knife. Let go. Let go of her. Let go of her. Let go of her. All right. We have the actively holding the other one. Please let go. You're going to get shot. She's not complying with command. Upon the arrival of assisting officers, a strategic plan to safely approach the suspect was formulated since it appeared he was still breathing and gripping the knife in his right hand. Given the ongoing threat posed by the suspect who did not respond to officer's verbal commands, a 40 millimeter less lethal launcher was deployed. Following that deployment, officers approached the suspect with caution and successfully removed the knife from him. The suspect was handcuffed and taken to a suitable location to receive medical aid by responding Orange County Fire Authority. [Music] Who's my Where is he? Hit in the head and I believe head. Stomach. [Music] Do you see any uh tourniquet wounds? I do not. No, I don't see anything in the arms. This head? Yeah, it's from the head. The suspect sustained a single gunshot wound to his head and was transported by ambulance to UCI Medical Center where he underwent surgery for the gunshot wound and self-inflicted stab wounds. The suspect was pronounced deceased on January 4th, 2025. You will now view an image of the stake knife, which has an approximate 4 and 1/2 in partially serrated blade and black handle that was in the suspect's possession. The suspect has been identified as Henry Gonzalez Jr., a 31-year-old resident of Anaheim whose criminal history includes arrest for burglary, possession of an illegal firearm, narcotic violations, domestic violence, elder abuse, felony assault, and petty theft. The Saint Police Department is committed to transparency and aims to keep the public informed about critical incidents. Over the impending months, three concurrent independent investigations will be undertaken. The Orange County District Attorney's Office, responsible for investigating officer involved shootings, will continue its investigation into any potential criminal conduct by the officers involved. Simultaneously, the Sana Police Department's Internal Affairs Division will conduct an administrative investigation to assess whether the officers adhere to departmental policies and procedures. Additionally, the Saint Police Department's Crimes Against Persons Division will investigate any alleged criminal conduct by the suspect. These investigative units will interview any witnesses and conduct any necessary forensic testing. Upon the completion of the district attorney's investigation, their office will issue a determination as to whether charges should be filed against the involved officers. Thank you for taking the time to view this critical incident community briefing.