Man shot and killed by Fresno police officers at southwest station identified

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The man who was shot and killed by Fresno police officers over the weekend has been identified.

Officers shot and killed a man who was armed with a knife just outside of the Southwest Fresno Police Department substation on Saturday night.

On Monday, Chief Paco Balderrama discussed the incident and identified the man who was killed as 33-year-old Coy Jackson.

Authorities say just after 11 pm, two Fresno police officers saw 33-year-old Coy Jackson near the secure gate outside of the Southwest Fresno Police Department substation.

It's in a shopping center in the area of Fresno and C Streets.

"This is a Saturday night. This is a secure facility, really no reason for somebody to be near the gate of a police station with equipment and vehicles inside of it." Chief Balderrama said.

Balderrama says the sergeant and officer asked Jackson what he was doing.

They say that's when he pulled out a knife.

A third officer heard the call on the radio and came out of the substation to help.

Balderrama says Jackson didn't respond or follow officers commands to drop the knife or get on the ground.

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He says one officer attempted to use a less lethal option, but it was too late.

"Once Mr. Jackson closed the distance and was too close to them and made an aggressive movement, they were forced to use their weapons. None of them wanted to shoot somebody. None of them wanted to kill anybody that night." Balderrama said.

He said he believes Jackson was dealing with mental health issues when he was contacted.

Every officer receives de-escalation, use of force and crisis intervention training through the Peace Officer Standards and Training or POST required by the state, as well as additional training, according to Chief Balderrama.

Fresno police also have a crisis intervention team where officers respond with clinicians, but Balderrama says this situation unfolded too quickly for that to happen.

He says there should've been more resources for Jackson long before this happened.

"The system let this person down," Balderrama said.

Rachell Jackson, Coy's sister, says she doesn't know why her brother would've been in that area Saturday night.

She's devastated that the interaction with police ended in her brother's death.

"My brother coy was not a violent person by any stretched of the imagination. He would never harm anyone. He has never harmed anyone," Rachell said.

She says she understands he had a knife, but wishes less than lethal options would've been used.

"He suffered from mental illness, severe mental illness and in that moment, he was in crisis and he needed help and instead his life ended," Rachell said.

Chief Balderamma says the shooting remains under investigation.

The three officers remain on paid administrative leave.

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