In April 2025, Fresno police officers responded to a distress call at the FAX terminal near Manchester Center, where 39-year-old Joanna Lopez was reported to be making suicidal statements and wielding a large knife.
Upon arrival, officers found Lopez holding the knife to the back of an elderly bystander’s head, using her as a human shield.
Despite commands to drop the weapon, Lopez did not comply.
An officer seized an opportunity to neutralize the threat, firing a single shot that struck Lopez in the head.
The elderly victim was unharmed.
Lopez was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to her injuries.
Body camera footage of the incident was subsequently released by the Fresno Police Department.