Authorities investigating officer involved shooting in Visalia

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Visalia Police shot and killed a man that they say confronted an officer with a knife and refused to put it down. He's been identified as 59-year-old Raymond Hopper.

The incident happened at around 7:30 Tuesday morning outside Hopper's house at the intersection of Delta Avenue and Norman Street in Northeast Visalia. The knife was still in the street as authorities investigated the department's second officer-involved shooting this year.

"The officer gave several commands for the suspect to drop the weapon at which point the suspect refused and continued to advance toward the officer," said Visalia Police Sgt. Damon Maurice. "The officer then fired several rounds at the suspect striking him in the upper torso."

Hopper later died at the hospital.

Police say they were called out to his home for a domestic disturbance with reports that Hopper was being combative with two women inside.

Neighbors say it's not the first time police have had to put Hopper in handcuffs.

"He used to be our mailman, very nice gentleman," said neighbor Michelle Turner. "But I know that on occasion cops have had to come out before because he would be drinking and just get a little bit out of control."

Michelle Turner was just leaving the house with her boys when they heard three shots. They went back inside, locked the doors, and called police. But police told them an officer was already on scene, so they went back outside to see the officer performing CPR on Hopper.

"They were taking turns with the CPR and it was taking them quite a while, they couldn't even get him on the gurney right away, so it wasn't looking very good," Turner said.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

The officer was not injured.