Lemoore police officers involved in Saturday night shooting incident. Suspect shot and in hospital said police chief

In a press conference held Sunday afternoon by Lemoore Police Chief Michael Kendall, he said that it was at  7:37 p.m. Saturday that two Lemoore officers responded to a disturbance on Kenwood Drive. “The reporting party said he could hear a male and female,” said Kendall. The sounds of a male and female could be heard screaming in the area. The two officers responded quickly and located the site of the disturbance.

The officers contacted the residents inside the home and saw persons yelling from within the house. Officers saw a subject running through the home and then run out the front door towards them. The suspect, according to Kendall, appeared to be “running full speed” when he knocked one of the officers down before the officer could retreat.

The second officer saw that the suspect carried a knife, and to stop the immediate threat to their safety, the officer fired five shots from his handgun, ending the threat. The officers then requested emergency aid for the suspect and administered care until EMS arrived. The suspect was transported to a local area hospital for treatment. Both police officers were unharmed in the incident.

Police have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Zhondon Michaels McDaniel of Pinedale. Police say there were three additional persons in the house during the incident.” The department hasn’t yet determined what initially caused the disturbance.

Kendall said the police officers had no choice in the matter. “It’s my belief that the officers had nowhere to retreat to.” The suspect had a large black folding knife, said Kendall, who revealed that both officers were wearing cameras, showing that their actions were appropriate. “I have watched the video, and truly this was unavoidable.”

The two officers, as per protocol, were placed on paid administrative leave. “They will return to work,” said Kendall.

Saturday night’s incident was the second shooting involving a Lemoore police officer in the past week. On Nov. 2, an off-duty Lemoore officer, Jonathan Diaz, was killed when he interceded in a domestic violence incident that resulted in three deaths. In addition to Diaz, the suspect, Ramiro Trevino Jr., also shot his father, Ramiro Trevino Sr., who died two days later. The younger Trevino then shot himself.

As of Sunday afternoon, Kendall said that the suspect, McDaniel, remains in critical condition.