File:Santa Ana Police Shoot Armed Suspect During a Traffic Stop.webm

English: Santa Ana, California — On Friday, April 7, 2023, at 6:41 p.m. Santa Ana police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of 500 South Rosewood Avenue in the city of Santa Ana. When the vehicle pulled over, uniformed officers gave the driver several verbal orders to place his hands outside of the vehicle. Rather than following the orders, the driver exited the vehicle carrying a firearm that was later confirmed to be loaded. These actions led to an officer-involved shooting. Immediately following the officer involved shooting, the suspect ran North on Rosewood Avenue and East on Myrtle Street. Officers remained at the scene of the traffic stop and did not chase the suspect because a male occupant was observed in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

Approximately one minute after the suspect was last seen running on East Myrtle Street, officers heard additional gunshots. Santa Ana Police dispatch was advised of the circumstances and additional officers responded to assist. Immediately following the officer-involved shooting, the officers reported their activity to Santa Ana Police dispatch and requested additional officers respond to the scene to assist. While awaiting the arrival of assisting officers, the initial officers can be heard advising Dispatch they heard other gunshots coming from the north. Several officers responded to help at the initial location of the traffic stop and officer-involved shooting. Upon their arrival, the remaining occupant of the suspect vehicle was removed from the vehicle and taken into custody without incident. Officers also responded to conduct an area check for the outstanding suspect.

At approximately 6:45 p.m. a male subject matching the suspect description was located lying on the East Sidewalk of 437 South Shelton Street. This location is north of where the initial offshore-involved shooting occurred and consistent with the area the officer said they had heard the gunshots from. The suspect suffered from several gunshot wounds to various parts of his body. Officers on the scene provided life-saving Medical Aid to the subject, later identified as 20-year-old Marvin Ricardo Melgarejo, until Orange County Fire Authority Personnel arrived. This included the application of a tourniquet by officers on Melgarejo. He was subsequently transported to the Orange County Global Medical Center where he was treated and listed in stable condition. Upon further investigation Melgarejo was seen running East on Myrtle Street, then South on Shelton Street along the east sidewall.

Further investigation revealed a gray colored sports utility vehicle, driving South on Shelton Street and stopping at the West curb line across from Melgarejo. Two unknown male subjects, exit the passenger side and fire multiple rounds in Melgarejo's Direction. The subject's return to the vehicle and are seen fleeing South on Shelton Street. Approximately 12 cartridge casings were discovered along the west sidewalk of Shelton Street, south of Myrtle Street. The cartridge casings were consistent with the location of the sports utility vehicle, at the time the two suspects exited and shot in Melgarejo's Direction. At the initial scene of the officer-involved shooting, a loaded firearm was located outside the vehicle, Melgarejo fled from. The weapon recovered was a 9mm 'ghost gun' containing a loaded magazine. An additional loaded magazine belonging to Melgarejo was located nearby.

Timestamps: 0:00 - Primary Officer's Bodycam 0:53 - Cover Officer's Bodycam

1:40 - Assisting Officer's Bodycam