Anaheim police fatally shoot sexual-assault suspect outside gas station

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Anaheim police fatally shoot man outside gas station
It's unclear what led up to the confrontation between Anaheim officers and an individual described as a suspect who was fatally shot.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- A man described as a sexual-assault suspect with a knife was shot and killed by Anaheim police officers Tuesday afternoon.

The incident happened just after 1 p.m. in the area of Orangewood Drive and Harbor Boulevard. Anaheim police confirm the suspect was deceased at the scene. No officers were injured.

Police established a perimeter around an ARCO station at the intersection. The body remained at the scene in the gas station parking lot for hours as police investigated the scene.

Police say the incident began as officers were attempting to arrest a sexual-assault suspect who ran away from them. They caught up to him at the intersection and there was a confrontation that ended in the officers opening fire.

A knife believed to belong to the suspect was recovered from the scene.

The location is down the street from the Anaheim Convention Center and Disneyland.

Tourists from other countries were shocked to hear about the violence so close to their vacation destination.

"I didn't expect it," said Peter Wortley, a New Zealand father traveling with his family to Disneyland. "It's really not something we see in New Zealand at all. Pretty sad, really. There's a guy lying dead over there. Feel sorry for his family. But it's just crazy to see it in Anaheim, in the resort area."