Fresno County jail shooter had a lot to say when arrested

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The man who shot two correctional officers at the Fresno County jail in September 2016 had a lot to say to deputies after his arrest.

Thong Vang talked to at least three deputies after the shooting and his words may help explain his state of mind when he opened fire inside the jail.

Videos from police body cameras and the jail lobby show the rescue operation after officers Malama Scanlan and Juanita Davila suffered gunshot wounds.

Sheriff's Sgt. Arley Terrence took a lead role, and as he burst through the lobby doors, Vang had taken cover behind a door. Terrence yelled at Vang to drop the weapon still in his hand and it worked, but Terrence hardly felt safe.

"I had noted to myself that he had dropped the gun on his side and I told him that he if were to drop his hands that I was going to shoot him," he said.

Vang followed instructions from there and started talking.

"I've got something to say," he said as deputies tried to arrest him.

Lt. Brandon Pursell cuffed him and as Terrence walked him out of the jail backward, he asked the suspect a couple questions - "How many people were hurt?" and "How many guns there were?"

"When you asked the defendant how many people were hurt, what did he say?" prosecutor William Lacy asked Terrence.

"He said 'I shot those two cops,'" Terrence replied.

Deputies found the one weapon on the floor where Vang dropped it. With help from Fresno police, they cleared everybody out of the lobby and started the next phase of the operation -- the investigation.

Homicide detective Donna Davis only briefly talked to Vang but recorded him asking to see a judge that Saturday morning.

"Can you take me to the courthouse right now, please?" he told Davis.

RELATED: New video from Fresno County jail shooting and victim's perspective as trial opens

She also spotted some minor injuries on Vang, so another deputy took the suspect to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment and heard one last statement.

"He said 'Just put whatever in me and finish me off. She should have just told me she loved me and that's it,'" said Fresno County sheriff's deputy Manuel Chavez.

Vang is set to testify in his own defense, so he may have a chance to explain those statements.

His defense attorney says he couldn't form the state of mind to commit attempted murder.