April 8, 2023 – Fresno Police Department officials report on an officer-involved shooting on March 4, 2023.
On Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 4:55 P.M., officers from the Fresno Police Department attempted a traffic stop at Fresno Street and Shaw Avenue on a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The driver of the vehicle, 29-year-old Robert Corchado, was recognized as an individual with several outstanding felony warrants, including one for felony evading. Mr. Corchado failed to yield to the officers and sped towards Highway 41. The officers initiated a pursuit but discontinued the pursuit when Mr. Corchado drove the wrong way onto the Highway 41 ramp.
Mr. Corchado was subsequently located by a Fresno Police Department air unit and was observed driving at a high rate of speed, failing to stop at several intersections and nearly causing a traffic collision with another motorist. As a result, a sergeant determined that Mr. Corchado posed a danger to the public and requested officers to re-initiate the pursuit and authorized a PIT (Pursuit Immobilization Technique) maneuver if Mr. Corchado did not yield.
When Mr. Corchado did not yield a PIT maneuver was performed disabling Mr. Corchado’s vehicle. Before officers could exit their patrol car, Mr. Corchado fired multiple rounds from a handgun toward the officers and both officers returned fire. In the exchange of gunfire one of the rounds fired by Mr. Corchado struck an officer in the chest. The round was stopped by the officer’s ballistic vest.
Mr. Corchado, who had just repeatedly fired at officers and was potentially armed, began running towards a nearby occupied vehicle that had pulled to the side of the road. Officers gave Mr. Corchado commands to stop as he neared the uninvolved motorist’s car, but he did not comply. An officer fired his weapon, striking Mr. Corchado.
Additional officers arrived on scene and took Mr. Corchado into custody. The officers provided medical aid, including CPR. Mr. Corchado was pronounced deceased on scene by paramedics.
It was later learned Mr. Corchado discarded his 9mm handgun near his vehicle after the exchange of gunfire with officers. There was one live round in the chamber, and the magazine was empty. Shell casings from the handgun that Mr. Corchado fired at officers were located inside of his vehicle. In addition, a .22 caliber rifle was located between the driver and passenger seats of Mr. Corchado’s vehicle. Detectives located three rounds fired by Mr. Corchado that struck the officer’s patrol car.
There will be no additional comments made beyond the release of this video at this time, as this is an ongoing investigation.
This critical incident is being fully investigated, and the finding will be handed over to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, Internal Affairs, and the Office of Independent Review. The California Department of Justice, with full cooperation from the Fresno Police Department, is conducting an independent review of this incident as well.
View video here: https://youtu.be/t7Km5malJ0E.
Source: Fresno Police Department
Related: Fresno Police Chief Issues Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting in the City of Fresno on Saturday
