Santa Ana police Thursday continued their investigation into an officer’s fatal shooting of a 18-year-old man in downtown Santa Ana.
Officers attempted to stop the suspect, who was driving at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, but he refused to do so, Santa Ana Police spokeswoman Natalie Garcia told City News Service.
The man was identified as 18-year-old Victor Lopez of Santa Ana, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Department.
A short pursuit followed and ended when the suspect drove into a parking garage at 450 Fourth St. He then exited the vehicle armed with a handgun and, after refusing commands to drop it, was shot by officers, Garcia said.
Paramedics from the Orange County Fire Authority pronounced Lopez dead at the scene.
A handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.
Garcia said a woman believed to be the suspect’s girlfriend and a 1-year-old child were passengers in the vehicle and were not injured.
“She is cooperating with the investigation,” Garcia said of the woman.
Lopez was charged last year with a misdemeanor count of possessing a substance similar to toluene, but the case was dismissed Dec. 10, according to court records.