Kings County deputies forced to shoot Hanford man as he threatened son with large knife

Deputies arrived on the scene on Houston Avenue at about 11:10 p.m. Saturday night, responding to a report of a disturbance. At about the same time the California Highway Patrol received a 911 cell phone call reporting a man chasing a child in the same area.

When deputies arrived, they quickly discovered 35-year old Edgar Espinoza and a young child inside a pickup truck parked on the road’s shoulder. According to deputies, Espinoza had the child in what appeared to be a chokehold and was holding an object, which they believed to be a large military-style knife, to the child’s neck.

The child was struggling to break free of Espinoza and was pleading for help, telling officers that the man was trying to kill him.

The two deputies acted quickly, breaking the driver’s side window and telling Espinoza to release the child. One deputy even grabbed the child and tried to pull him from the truck but was met with resistance when Espinoza refused to let go, pulling him back into the vehicle.

Deputies said Espinoza continued to hold the child in what appeared to be a chokehold and held what they believed was a knife to the child’s throat. The scene prompted a deputy to fire several shots striking Espinoza.

Having been shot by deputies, Espinoza, according to the sheriff’s office report, shouted for the officers to kill him. Thinking that Espinoza was likely to inflict serious injury, one of the deputies fired additional shots and rescued the child, removing him to safety.

Once out of the vehicle the deputies retreated with the frightened child in tow.  The child told deputies Espinoza told him that they were going to die that night.  The child also said that his father had a gun in the vehicle with him and told deputies he had escaped before their arrival, but Espinoza found him and knocked him unconscious. The child woke up to realize deputies were on-scene.

The Kings County Sheriff's Office SWAT team was summoned, and with the assistance of two armored vehicles, approached Espinoza’s vehicle and determined that he had died.

Deputies continue to investigate the matter. They said the incident might have stemmed from a domestic issue. The child was transported to Adventist Medical Center for treatment and was reunited with his mother.

Kings County law enforcement officials said Espinoza had been arrested earlier this year on allegations of domestic violence, elder abuse, and burglary.

One of the deputies involved received treatment for superficial injuries sustained while initiating the rescue attempt.