Police: Man shot himself in Fairview Park

COSTA MESA — An unidentified man allegedly shot himself to death Monday afternoon at Fairview Park after an altercation with police, officials said.

Around 1 p.m. while patrolling the Westside park, a Costa Mesa officer determined after checking the license plate of a blue 1990 Honda sedan that its owner had a traffic warrant.

The officer asked the owner, who was sitting in the Honda’s passenger seat, to get out of the car, according to a press release.

While talking with the officer, police said the man got back into the passenger seat and pulled out a handgun.

The man shot himself, police said, adding that the officer did fire one round in self-defense but missed.

In May the man was reported to police after leaving a suicide note that said he would shoot himself in Fairview Park. At the time, the man was living in his vehicle and couldn’t be located, according to the release.

The case is being investigated by the Police Department and the county coroner.

The Orange County district attorney’s office was notified, but decided not to investigate based on the evidence, according to the release.

—Britney Barnes