Man Shot by Huntington Beach Police Had Fake Weapon

A man thought to be armed with what turned out to be a fake weapon was fatally shot by Huntington Beach police Thursday afternoon in a residential neighborhood, authorities said.

Police responded to the scene in the 4900 block of Warner Avenue after a caller reported that a man and a woman had been arguing and the man had threatened him with a gun, Lt. Mitch O'Brien said in a statement released late Thursday.

When police arrived, the man "produced a handgun" and the officer fired. Investigators later determined that the weapon was a fake semi-automatic pistol, O'Brien said.

The unidentified victim was pronounced dead at the scene about 4:30 p.m. A woman who was with the man was detained.

The shooting happened near Milo Drive and Hoskins Lane. A neighbor told NBC4 he heard some four gunshots.

The names of the victim and the officer, who was not injured, are not being released yet, O'Brien said.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department is investigating the shooting.

Contact Us