Huntington Beach police fatally shoot armed suspect on beach as U.S. Open of Surfing underway nearby


Callum Robson competes at the US Open of Surfing, in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Raul Roa/Daily Pilot)

Huntington Beach police fatally shot an armed suspect on the beach Saturday afternoon as the U.S. Open of Surfing was underway nearby.

The shooting occurred about 3:15 p.m., Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Carey told The Times.

The wounded man was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Police said it received reports about a "suspicious man with a gun" at the beach. After making contact with the suspect just south of the pier, police said he was "noncompliant to multiple commands given."

A gun was recovered at the scene. But police did not say what exactly the man was doing when he failed to comply with their commands and what prompted the shooting.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department will takeover the investigation of the shooting.

One witness, Ana Leticia, described hearing what she thought were fireworks before she realized that police had shot a man. Many witnessed or heard the shooting at the beach since the surfing competition had drawn crowds to the beach.

In one video taken at Sandy's Beach Shack, rapid gunfire can be heard as witnesses nearby are screaming.

Several witnesses posted photos on Twitter of the scene after the shooting. One photo showed police officers with guns drawn standing over the man lying on his back. Huntington Beach Fire Department personnel were also on scene as onlookers stood nearby.

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