Man is killed in gunbattle after shooting a police sergeant in California

FRESNO, Calif. -- A man who shot and wounded a police sergeant during what officials called an ambush was killed by officers over the weekend in Fresno, California, authorities said.

The sergeant was seated in his parked vehicle working on a homicide case nearby when a car pulled up alongside and the driver opened fire around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, said interim Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto. She said the officer was “ambushed.”

Despite being hit, the sergeant managed to fire back as officers responded and joined the gunbattle, Casto said. The man was shot by police and pronounced dead at a hospital, the interim chief said. He was not immediately identified.

The sergeant, a 21-year member of the department, was stable following treatment for gunshot wounds to his lower body, the The Fresno Bee reported Monday.

Detectives were investigating whether the suspect had a connection to the homicide case, in which a person was found dead inside a home nearby in southeast Fresno.