John Lang's death ruled a suicide

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Coroner's office said John Lang's death was a suicide. Firefighters found Lang barricaded inside his burning home on Van Ness Avenue in Central Fresno in January. He had some stab wounds and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Coroner's have determined the wounds were self-inflicted.

Investigators had initially called his death suspicious as they said it appears his house was intentionally set on fire.

The Coroner's final report said the cause of death was inhalation of smoke and soot due to the fire. Multiple stab wounds were listed as a contributing factor.

According to the report, Lang had high levels of carbon monoxide in his system along with three superficial, self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest area. There were no stab wounds to the back, contrary to what was initially reported by other media outlets.

Lang often posted surveillance footage taken outside of his home which he claimed showed intimidation tactics of the corrupt police. (The Fresno Police Officers Association and their credit union are about two blocks from Lang's home.) In the days prior to his death, Lang posted to Facebook at least three times that he feared corrupt Fresno police were going to try to kill him and he asked other anti-police activists to come stay with him. He was alone in the barricaded house when he died.