Tulare County Sheriff's Office releases body camera footage of machete attack in Orosi

Friday, May 4, 2018
Body camera footage of machete attack in Orosi
The Tulare County Sheriff's Office has just released new details on an officer-involved shooting in Orosi.

OROSI, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Tulare County Sheriff's Office has just released new details and body camera footage after an officer-involved shooting in Orosi.

At around four on Thursday afternoon, two Tulare County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call for help at a home on Dennison Drive.

In the front yard, they spoke with a woman who was concerned about her son, later identified as 26-year-old Anthony Trujillo.

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux says she told the deputies her son was off his medication and was inside acting erratically.

She feared for her safety, so the deputies agreed to go inside.

"Let us go talk to him and see what we can do," one of the deputies is heard saying in newly released body camera video.

WATCH: Full body camera video

WARNING: Some may find the following video disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Initially, deputies were called to a home to deal with a man acting erratically.

The video then shows the deputies entering the home, and walking down a hallway, where a deputy knocks on a door and says, "Anthony! Hey, man, do you mind if we come in and talk to you?"

"As (the deputy) stepped back away from the door, they were immediately confronted by Anthony Trujillo with violence," Boudreaux said. "A machete that was held in the suspect's hand, come across and over the top, striking the top of the threshold to the bedroom door, but continued moving with

momentum force, striking our deputy across the left side of his head with a deep laceration which immediately incapacitated him."

Boudreaux says Trujillo exited the room and continued his machete strikes against the deputy, prompting the other deputy to punch Trujillo, and at some point, shoot him.

The sheriff says up to six shots were fired, striking Trujillo in the upper body. One shot also hit the already injured deputy in the right wrist.

Boudreaux believes the officer who fired saved his partner's life. "I completely support our officers in their actions. I'm confident that they used the force which was necessary in this situation."

Trujillo died, and Boudreaux says the sheriff's office has reached out to his family on multiple occasions. He says Trujillo had a long history with law enforcement, including calls for mental health situations.

The Visalia Police Department is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The sheriff says he's asked the Tulare County District Attorney to review the case as well.

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