ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA — A 33-year-old man was fatally shot by police after he stumbled out of his vehicle with a knife during a traffic stop in Anaheim, California.
Police have identified the man as Orange resident and father-of-six Michael Anthony Perez. The incident occurred around 11:15 p.m. Sunday, when Perez was stopped for a broken tail light, the Orange County Register reported.
Perez parked his minivan in a parking lot on West Katella Avenue. But he refused to get out of his vehicle. He stayed inside for about half an hour. Authorities say they became concerned when he pulled out a lighter and a gas container.
Firefighters soon arrived the scene with a fire hose to flush Perez out of his minivan. Perez climbed to the back of the minivan to escape the fire hose, he then crawled out of the driver’s side window and fell to the ground.
As Perez got up, an officer shouted, “Knife! Knife! Knife! ... Drop the knife! Drop the knife! Don’t you do it!” Another officer shot Perez once in the upper torso to subdue him.
Perez was then taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he later died, the Orange County register reported.
Perez’s aunt said she wants the world to know Perez loved his six children, and that he was funny.
According to Orange Police Department, the officer fired the shot is now being investigated by Orange County District Attorney’s office.
