Video showed in court captured dramatic moments Fresno correctional officer fought for his life

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Officer Toamalama Scanlan's tazer camera captured some of the dramatic moments during the fight of his life.

The slow motion video shows Thong Vang pointing his gun at Scanlan who ran toward the armed man. Jail lobby officer Michael Hanlin described taking cover once he saw Vang had a gun.

"There's a recess under the counter, closest to the records side and I crawled underneath and just hid out underneath."

Officer Hanlin was first to confront Vang in the lobby mumbling. First he told him he was there to visit someone then said he wanted to go to jail.

Sergeant Chris Curran is part of a jail emergency response team. He testified he has access to guns but was told by Officer Hanlin he didn't need any weapons, so he used his tazer once he saw the suspect's gun.

"The gun was up, I could see it. And the gun was up and when I tazed him, he must've had his hand on the trigger because he shot with the gun facing up and the door, the window in the records hallway exploded," said Curran.

Jail Lieutenant Michael Porter said he grabbed his .45 caliber department issued handgun and headed to the first floor after recognizing the sergeant's tone of voices on the radio seemed different.

"I engaged Mr. Vang, at this point, I considered him a threat to myself and the others in the lobby. So when his head would come out to try to find me, I would shoot at it."

Lieutenant Porter fired five times, none struck the suspect. But Vang finally surrendered and deputies arrived with guns and strict commands.

"I instructed the other officers that we needed to do an officer rescue and that I would hold on the suspect. I kept my department issued handgun affixed on the suspect. I advanced up to the front counter," said Sgt. Arley Terrence, Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

Other arriving officers dragged officer Scanlan out of the lobby to an ambulance. Hours later, during his first interview Vang told detective Jose Diaz that he came to the jail to be arrested because he felt he was somehow in danger.

"He didn't want to go back outside, because that's where he thought the people that were following him-- that's where he thought they were at."

Vang also told the detective he smoked meth sometime prior to the shooting but was not that high.

Vang was held to answer on several felony counts including attempted murder on a correctional officer.

Officer Scanlan was critically hurt and continues rehab at a facility in Houston, Texas. Officer Davila had reconstructive jaw surgery but has not returned to work.