California Department of Justice investigating shooting of parolee on Christmas Eve

Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times on Dec 27, 2024

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LOS ANGELES — A fight between a parole agent and an unarmed parolee during a home check on Christmas Eve led to an officer-involved shooting that left the 26-year-old parolee dead, officials said.

The California Department of Justice is now investigating the deadly shooting as part of a state law that requires the agency to investigate officer-involved shootings that result in the death of unarmed civilians.

Fresno Police officers responded to the 1200 block of Cortland Avenue at about 12:30 p.m., after the department’s gunshot detection program detected three shots fired in the area, said Fresno Police Sgt. Diana Trueba Vega.

The parole agent, from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations, was conducting a home visit when a physical fight occurred with the parolee, said Pedro Calderón Michel, a spokesperson for CDCR.

Michel identified the parolee as 26-year-old Jeremy Sanchez.

“The confrontation escalated to the point where the agent fired his duty weapon, striking Sanchez,” Michel said in an email. “Despite the agent’s efforts to perform life-saving measures, Sanchez died at the scene.”

Michel declined to identify the parole officer.

Statements from CDCR and Fresno Police did not indicate what sparked the fight, or whether or not Sanchez was armed during the altercation, but the California Department of Justice on Tuesday indicated they were investigating the deadly shooting under Assembly Bill 1506.

Vega said the California Department of Justice was now leading the investigation.

“Following notification by local authorities, DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with AB 1506 mandates,” the state Department of Justice said in a statement. “Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to the DOJ’s Special Prosecution Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review.”