Visalia police investigating officer-involved shooting, suspect dies

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A traffic stop for an expired tag, ended in an officer involved shooting in Visalia Tuesday.

Police said 39-year-old Franklin Oden was a passenger in this car when he jumped out and took off running. Authorities chased after him but say it turned deadly when he fired two rounds at an officer with a handgun.

Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar said, "The officer immediately returned fire striking the suspect once in the torso."

Chief Salazar said police were already looking for Oden. Earlier in the day, the state parolee was accused of firing a gun at a home on Gowdy Street after an argument with a group of people.

Joe Rodriguez lives across from where that alleged altercation occurred. He said Oden was often at this house, a place he and other neighbors claim random people frequent throughout the day.

"Day and night they is always coming here and we try to keep to ourselves, we don't want no problems so we just stay quiet."

Oden's uncle told us his nephew has been in and out of prison for over 20 years.

"He held a guy at gunpoint and made him drive from Atascadero to here, and then I know he's been in for drugs."

Oden's uncle said dealing with the fact that Oden is no longer here is tough for the family. Especially since it has been 12 years since they last saw him.

"It's upsetting that he's gone and it's upsetting how it happened, because of what he did. But I'm not mad at the officers, it wasn't their fault, they were doing they're job."

Those two officers involved are both veteran officers with at least 10 year's of experience-- they were not injured.

There was also a female in the car that Oden was in and authorities said she has been cooperative.

Police said the weapon used was recovered and both officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.