Video shows Orange County sheriff’s deputies fatally shooting man armed with a knife

Newly released body camera video shows the moments before deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department fatally shot a man holding a knife.

The video, released Thursday by the Sheriff’s Department, shows portions of an hours-long standoff between several deputies and the man, identified as 23-year-old Hunter Tice, in Lake Forest on Feb. 10.

For most of the exchange, Tice was seated inside a truck, at times pointing a knife at his own chest, the video shows. When he finally exited the truck with the knife in his hand, he ran about two steps in the direction of the deputies — more than one of whom opened fire.

Sgt. Ryan Anderson, who narrated parts of the video, said the man “charged the deputies.”

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The shooting occurred on the 24000 block of Calle Vecindad around 2:45 a.m., nearly three hours after deputies responded to reports that a man had struck multiple parked vehicles with his truck.

The video also includes audio recordings of two 911 callers reporting the man to authorities, with one saying, “He’s either drunk or messed up,” as well as portions of radio dispatches to responding officers.

Deputies found Tice locked in his truck with a knife, sheriff’s officials said. The video shows him seated in the driver’s seat, with the knife aimed at his chest.

“You’re not in trouble. It’s not the end of the world. Just put your knife down,” a deputy can be heard telling him near the start of the encounter.

California

After standoff, O.C. deputies shoot, kill man they say was armed with a knife

After nearly three hours, with a crisis negotiation team responding, the man charged at deputies and they shot him, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Feb. 10, 2022

The Sheriff’s Department’s crisis negotiation team also responded to the scene and spoke with Tice.

“Thank you for not pretending you know what I’m going through,” he can be heard telling a deputy at one point.

He started running in the direction of the deputies before they opened fire, the video shows. More than one deputy fired at him, and he was struck multiple times.

Tice received medical aid at the scene and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 10 a.m., Anderson said. A knife was recovered at the scene.

The body camera video was released in accordance with the law, the Sheriff’s Department said. An investigation into the shooting is being handled by the Orange County district attorney’s office.