Identified: Fresno Police Shoot Suspect in Head After Hostage Situation Near Manchester Center

Crime

Fresno Police Shoot Suspect in Head After Hostage Situation Near Manchester Center

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 2 months ago on

April 10, 2025

Fresno police shot a female suspect in the head on Thursday, April 10, 2025, after she took a woman hostage with a knife near Manchester Center. The suspect remains in critical condition while the hostage was unharmed. (Fresno PD)

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Update on April 14, 2025

The Fresno Police Department identified the suspect as Joanna Lopez, 39.

Police said that she is still at the hospital in critical condition.

Original Story

An officer-involved shooting is under investigation following an incident Thursday morning at the Manchester Center, the Fresno Police Department said in a statement.

The incident happened around 10:23 a.m. when a Fresno FAX bus driver noticed a woman with a large fixed-blade knife near the FAX terminal. The driver also reported that the suspect had made suicidal statements.

The bus driver immediately contacted officers assigned to the FAX unit, who responded with lights and sirens. Officers made contact with the woman and told her to drop the knife.

The suspect holds a knife to a victim while the Fresno police try to handle the situation. (Fresno PD)

Instead of complying, the woman approached another woman from behind and put the knife to her neck, taking her hostage.

The primary officer repeatedly told the suspect to drop the knife. When she refused, the officer fired his gun once, striking the suspect in the head, police said. Both the suspect and the hostage fell to the ground.

Officers quickly disarmed the suspect, handcuffed her, and administered medical aid. She was transported to Community Regional Medical Center and is currently in grave condition.

The hostage was unharmed.

—

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.