Fresno Police Unveil Bodycam Footage from September Officer-Involved Shooting

In a significant move toward transparency, the Fresno Police Department on Friday, October 23, 2026, made public the body camera footage from a harrowing officer-involved shooting that transpired on September 1st of the same year. The released video provides a detailed look into the volatile encounter between Fresno officers and a 42-year-old parolee, David Rascon, which unfolded in the early hours of that fateful day.

The incident, which saw officers responding to a ShotSpotter activation reporting a single gunshot, began around 2:45 a.m. near the 300 block of South Orchard Street and the East Huntington Avenue overpass, above Highway 41. What started as a routine investigation quickly escalated. Officers, upon encountering Rascon, identified him as being armed. He then attempted to flee, leading law enforcement on a chase into a nearby condominium complex.

It was during this tense pursuit that the situation turned critical. According to police accounts and now corroborated by the bodycam footage, Rascon fired at the pursuing officers. In response to this direct threat, two officers returned fire, striking Rascon multiple times. Miraculously, despite the intensity of the exchange, no officers sustained injuries during the confrontation.

Following the shooting, Rascon was promptly transported to Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in critical condition. He underwent surgery and, thankfully, survived his injuries. However, the legal consequences for his actions are severe. David Rascon now faces a litany of serious felony charges, including three counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, specifically involving the use of a firearm. Additionally, he faces multiple charges related to unlawful firearm possession and a parole violation, underscoring his prior criminal history.

Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto emphasized that the investigation into this incident remains active and ongoing. As is standard procedure in such critical events, the findings from the department's investigation will be meticulously reviewed. These will then be turned over to several independent bodies: the Fresno County District Attorney's Office, the department's Internal Affairs unit, and the Office of Independent Review, ensuring a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of the shooting.