Police fatally shoot homicide suspect on crowded Southern California pier
Newly released body-worn camera footage shows the moment police in Orange County shot and killed a 45-year-old homicide suspect who had driven his vehicle onto the Newport Beach Pier.
The Feb. 1 incident unfolded when authorities with the Santa Ana Police Department received a 911 call from a dispatch operator with the Menifee Police Department regarding the suspect, now identified as Jose Alfonso Valasquez.
Detectives in Menifee tracked the 45-year-old's cellphone to the 1400 block of North Freeman Street, where his ex-wife reportedly lived. The dispatch operator then informed SAPD that Velasquez was wanted for the fatal shooting of a woman, who may have been his girlfriend, in Menifee and that he was likely armed and behind the wheel of a silver Honda CRV.
Just after 6:30 a.m., two SAPD officers responded to the location and spotted Velasquez's CRV where he was sitting with a passenger inside the vehicle.
'As officers approached, the subject immediately fled the area, prompting a pursuit,' SAPD officials said in a video posted online.
The 45-year-old led officers on an approximately 13-mile chase into Newport Beach where he jumped the curb, and maneuvered around several barricades set up to prevent vehicles from getting on the pier.
Police followed Velasquez onto the pier where people scrambled to get out of the way of the vehicles. At the end of the pier, the 45-year-old came to a stop and reportedly exited the CRV.
In footage released by SAPD, responding officers in two police cruisers stopped a short distance behind the suspect and opened fire on him.
Footage from the Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter shows the 45-year-old on the ground beside his vehicle with what appears to be a gun in his right hand. Police said that while Velasquez was on the ground, still armed and breathing, he failed to comply with officers' commands.
Crude details emerge in racism, sexism scandal rocking L.A. Police Department
'Given the ongoing threat posed by the suspect, who did not respond to officers' verbal commands, a 40 millimeter less-lethal launcher was deployed,' SAPD officials said. 'Following the deployment, a police K9 was used to facilitate the officers in handcuffing and arresting the suspect.'
Medical personnel with the Newport Beach Fire Department arrived at the location and declared Velasquez dead at the scene.
A firearm believed to be used in the alleged Menifee homicide was recovered at the scene.
The 45-year-old had previous arrests for driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license and brandishing a firearm in a threatening manner, police said.
An investigation into the lethal use of force remains ongoing.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Shocking Police Update About Jonathan Joss' Killing Highlights LGBTQ+ Community's Fears
A new detail about ' murder has come to light as authorities investigating the case released a statement, walking back their initial claims. The beloved "King of the Hill" actor was gunned down on June 1 during a fiery altercation with a neighbor close to his San Antonio, Texas, home. Circumstances around the shooting suggested a hate crime, especially with alleged evidence from Joss' husband. However, the San Antonio police denied such claims until now. In a June 5 press conference, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus gave an update on the case, admitting that his department had hastily declared Joss's shooting not a hate crime. Initially, the police concluded that their "investigation has found no evidence whatsoever" that the actor's sexuality played a role in his murder. However, following immense backlash from the public, Chief McManus confessed the statement was "way, way, way premature." Taking responsibility, he added, "Shouldn't have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say, again, that we shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." The police chief further noted that the "premature statement" caused the LGBTQ+ community to feel "anxious," and for that, he once again apologizes. Concluding his speech, McManus paid tribute to the late star, saying, "The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most, most heavily felt by the LGBTQ+ community." Chief McManus' message at the press conference is a far cry from the initial statement the SAPD put out about Joss' killing. Just two days after he was shot, authorities debunked online claims of a homophobic attack, saying they "thoroughly reviewed all available information." According to them, "SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously." Now, with the turnaround, the police chief explained why they have yet to charge the suspected killer with a hate crime. He noted that hate crimes cannot be charged separately in Texas. Also, the District Attorney's office is responsible for determining the correct charge. However, Chief McManus assured that his team of detectives is following every lead to get to the truth of Joss' "senseless" killing. Following the press conference, the SAPD announced a community forum, hosted in collaboration with Pride San Antonio, a nonprofit organization specializing in Pride celebrations. In a poster shared on the department's official X page, they urged the LGBTQ+ community in San Antonio to join them in a helpful conversation as they discuss their fears. They also promised to share updates about Joss's case during the June 5 meeting. "We see you, we hear you, and we stand with you, today and always," the department promised. Unfortunately, the walk-back by the police has further enraged members of the LGBTQ+ community. Many took to online platforms to rant about how cases involving hate crimes are often taken with levity. "SAPD continuously fails the LGBTQ community, particularly when they're PoC," one user wrote. "The mishandling of this case is atrocious. SAPD is unprofessional. Something larger needs to be done within this department," another comment read. A third fan suggested the police chief resign over the poor handling of the case. "Chief McManus HAS to go! How dare he allow this big of a mistake to happen," the critic penned. Some fans insinuated that the Pride event was a ploy to victimize members of the LGBTQ+ community. The new update on Jonathan Joss' murder comes after his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged that the shooting was inspired by homophobia. In a lengthy Facebook post, Gonzales recalled details of his husband's death, alleging that their San Antonio neighbors harassed and threatened them for two years. He claimed their burned property was due to those threats. Unfortunately, the bullying continued to that fateful day when they saw the skull of one of their dogs placed in plain view. Gonzales recounted that he and Joss cried in distress, which drew the attention of their neighbor, who was offended. Gonzales said the neighbor began "yelling violent homophobic slurs," after which he reached for his rifle and shot at Joss. The suspect has been identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. He has since been released on a $200,000 bail while awaiting trial.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man faces arson, assault charges after 6-hour standoff with Springfield police
A man is facing charges after he barricaded himself inside a Springfield apartment following a domestic incident Wednesday night, leading to a six-hour standoff with police, according to police. Springfield resident Victor Velasquez, 62, has been charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, arson, witness intimidation and armed breaking and entering at nighttime to commit a felony, Springfield police said in a press release. Officers responded to an apartment on Byers Street around 11:10 p.m. on Wednesday for a report of a domestic disturbance involving an attempted arson, police said. When they arrived, Velasquez — who was identified as the suspect — had left the apartment, but he returned later armed with a knife and barricaded himself inside the apartment. During this time, detectives applied for and were granted a warrant for Velasquez's arrest, police said. The Springfield Police Emergency Service Unit and Crisis Intervention Team were also called to the scene to assist. After a six-hour standoff, police entered the apartment and found Velasquez unresponsive, police said. They treated him with Narcan before taking him to Baystate Medical Center with the lingering effects of an unknown drug overdose. No further information about the incident has been released. Western Mass. man found guilty of raping 3-year-old Boston woman hit man on electric scooter with her car, stabbed him, DA says Belmont man wanted in connection with road rage hatchet assault surrenders Boston teen sentenced to prison for fatal stabbing sparked by social media feud Man involved in Springfield excessive force scandal as teen headed to prison in unrelated case Read the original article on MassLive.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Newsweek
Police Address Lack of Hate Crime Charge in Voice Actor Killing
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Law enforcement in Texas explained why the man accused of shooting King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss has not been charged with a hate crime. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said in a press conference on Thursday that hate crimes are not separate charges in the state but are instead addressed through sentencing enhancements. "We don't charge with hate crimes," McManus said. "We gather the facts, and we give those facts to the district attorney's office, and then that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing." Joss, 59, was shot multiple times on Sunday at the site of his former home. Officials identified the suspected shooter as 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, who lived at a neighboring property. Ceja has been charged with first-degree felony murder. In this handout photo released by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, suspect Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez poses for a booking photo on June 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. In this handout photo released by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, suspect Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez poses for a booking photo on June 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Photo by Bexar County Sheriff's Office via Getty Images Why It Matters In a Facebook post on Joss' account, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, Joss' husband, said they were approached by a man "yelling violent homophobic slurs." Gonzales said the man then raised a gun and opened fire. The incident, which happened on the first day of Pride Month, has caused concern among LGBTQ+ members of the community. "Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation," the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) said in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday. "SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. Should any new evidence come to light, the suspect will be charged accordingly." McManus said the statement was "way, way, way premature." "It was way too soon, before we had any real information and I will own that," McManus said. What To Know McManus said homicide detectives are continuing to pursue leads to determine what led to the "senseless murder" of Joss. Gonzales said their former home was burned down in January "after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire." He said he notified law enforcement but "nothing was done." McManus said there were more than 70 calls to Joss' residence over the past two years involving various neighborhood disturbances. He said some of these incidents were reported by Joss. "Our safe unit, our mental health units, had extensive engagements with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to mediate conflicts and connect him with services that he may have needed," McManus said. What People Are Saying San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, during a press conference on Thursday: "To our LGBTQ+ community as we observe Pride Month, please know that your safety and trust matter deeply to us." Tristan Kern de Gonzales, referring to husband Jonathan Joss, in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday: "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other." What Happens Next McManus said officials are "committed to delivering a thorough and complete investigation," which will be filed with the district attorney's office for prosecution. He said they are also working with the San Antonio Fire Department arson investigators to understand how the fire at Joss' former home is connected. "At this time, the investigation remains active, and we need to be cautious about not releasing too much information that could affect, negatively affect, the upcoming legal process," McManus said. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
