Fullerton police said Monday that a man killed last month appeared to have provoked the shooting in an attempt to kill himself.
On June 15, police said they responded to a 911 call urging the department to send several officers to deal with a man who threatened the caller and others with knives on Imperial Highway.
When officers arrived, they found a man matching the caller's description holding what appeared to be two knives, according to police.
Officers told the man — later identified as Lorenzo Roger Hills III, 27, of Brea — to drop his weapons, but he instead ran toward them with knives in his hands, prompting officers to fatally shoot him.
On Monday, police said they recovered two knives and a cell phone. Upon investigation, police said the phone was registered to Hills and was the same one used to make the initial 911 call.
“Mr. Hills is believed to have intentionally provoked a deadly confrontation with police, commonly referred to as 'suicide by cop,'” the department said.
On Monday, police released body camera video showing Hills running toward officers, who shoot him before he gets close to them.
Police also released a recording of the 911 call, in which the caller identifies himself as Antonio. After the caller reports that a mentally ill man is wielding knives, the operator tells him she will stay on the line with him until officers arrive.
The caller responds that he may need to leave, but then doesn't after the operator tells him he needs to stay on the phone so officers know exactly where the knife-wielding man is.
Before officers arrive, the caller says, “My phone just cut off…” and the line goes dead.
Suicide Prevention Resources and Crisis Counseling
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please seek professional help and call 9-8-8. The first three-digit mental health crisis hotline in the United States, 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the crisis text line.
