On Sunday, May 23, at about 7 p.m., the CHP asked for assistance from the Kings County Sheriff’s Office. The CHP had been in hot pursuit with a suspect’s vehicle, a chase that began in San Luis Obispo County and ended on State Route 33 at Devils Den Road in southwestern Kings County.

The unnamed suspect, armed with a firearm and wearing a tactical vest, confronted CHP Officers. Highway Patrol officers began negotiating with the suspect to get him to surrender. 

At approximately 7:30 p.m., Kings County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and Crisis Resolution Teams responded to the scene. For approximately the next ten hours, the Crisis Resolution Team negotiated with the suspect to get him to surrender. 

At approximately 5:30 a.m., the Kings County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and Crisis Resolution Team were relieved by the Kings County Regional SWAT and their Crisis Resolution Teams. They continued to negotiate with the suspect to get him to surrender peacefully.

At approximately 7 a.m., the suspect fired at least one round in the direction of the Kings SWAT team. Law enforcement personnel returned fire. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The incident is being investigated by the Kings County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the California Highway Patrol, Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and the Hanford Police Department.