‘Erratic’ Fullerton man bites officer, dies following gruesome arrest
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Video posted on Friday shows the brutal and frantic moments during a Fullerton man’s arrest that, for reasons yet to be released, ultimately led to his death.
In the early morning hours of April 20, according to the Fullerton Police Department, an officer saw the suspect holding a smoldering cardboard box in a city park after closing hours.
The man, who police said was acting in an “erratic” manner, was identified as 46-year-old Jose Luis Naranjo Cortez. Officials noted Cortez’s history of criminal convictions, which include voluntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, unlawful sex with a minor, possession of drugs, possession of burglary tools, DUI, criminal threats and more.
The bodycam footage starts with an officer approaching Cortez at Lemon Park, ordering him to put the smoldering cardboard on the ground.
Cortez initially argues against the officer approaching, saying, “I’m not on probation.”
The officer replies, saying, “I don’t care, put it on the ground. You can’t light fires in public.”
This back and forth continues while Cortez ultimately follows the officer’s orders to sit down, but he continues to say concerning and at times, illogical things. At one point, he tells the officer, “You’re giving me tuberculosis.”
It seems Cortez was trying to argue that he was attempting to leave the park, explaining that his brother and a lady were also there and had “bugged it.” Cortez also says that he recently got out of jail.
The situation escalates when the officer, now assisted by another officer, begins to approach Cortez to make him stand.
“Where are you gonna take me to, man?” Cortez asks as they reach for his arms. “You’re giving me tuberculosis, sir,” he again claims, along with repeating that he’s not on probation, while asking what he did wrong.
Once the officers start putting more force into pulling Cortez up, he clearly becomes agitated, his voice cracking before he begins yelling.
“No! You can’t eat me, sir,” Cortez shouts.
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
The situation erupts as multiple officers jump in to force a now fully resistant Cortez onto the ground.
Moments into this altercation, the officer with the bodycam is heard saying, “Ah! He’s f***ing biting me!”
The department confirmed this assault, saying in a release that “while attempting to take the male into custody, the suspect violently bit an officer on the arm, causing injuries.”
The video continues on, showing Cortez fighting in agony to resist as more officers arrive and soon attempt to de-escalate his behavior, telling him to calm down and trying to reason with him, saying, “We’re gonna be gentle if you’re gentle.”
At one point, an unidentified man claiming to be Cortez’s brother is heard running toward the scene, causing a few of the officers to leave Cortez to prevent his access. His self-proclaimed brother was later arrested for resisting and delaying an officer.
Cortez’s motions began to calm down the longer he was forcefully detained, and while the officers began backing away, a conversation is heard between the officer who was bitten and others who arrived after the fact.
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- A bite mark is seen on an officer’s arm that was sustained during a violent and, ultimately, deadly arrest. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police are seen arresting a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
“Damn it,” says the officer wearing the bodycam. “That’s a bad bite.”
“Is your hand all right, dude?” one officer is heard asking.
“He got my forearm,” the other officer replies. “So I punched him like, twice.”
As the scene continues to unfold, police are seen beginning to question whether Cortez is breathing, but soon discover that he is. It’s not until paramedics arrive that Cortez eventually stops breathing, and life-saving measures begin at the scene.
- Police and paramedics are seen detaining and trying to save the life of a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police and paramedics are seen detaining and trying to save the life of a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police and paramedics are seen detaining and trying to save the life of a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police and paramedics are seen detaining and trying to save the life of a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
- Police and paramedics are seen detaining and trying to save the life of a Fullerton man who, for reasons yet to be released, died shortly after. April 2025. (Fullerton PD)
Footage of the incident ended there, but the incident briefing video continued as an official explained that Cortez was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Please keep in mind this is an initial review, and our understanding of this incident could possibly change as additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed,” police said in a release. “The Fullerton Police Department also does not draw any conclusions as to whether or not our officers acted within our department policy, and the law, until all the facts are known, and the independent investigation by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is complete.”
Officers discover cannabis farm and deter criminality during week-long burglary operation
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A proactive policing operation in Blackley resulted in the discovery of a cannabis farm, while also producing no reports of residential burglaries thanks to the hard work of the local neighbourhood team.
Throughout last week (beginning Monday 4 September), covert patrols monitored known hotspots, ready to leap into action upon reports or detection of suspected criminality in the area.
Officers had received reports of burglaries occurring in recent weeks and have immediately acted to ensure that criminals know that the neighbourhood team is dedicated to cracking down on those who can make people feel unsafe in their own homes.
During the week Blackley’s teams worked alternating shifts, covering days and nights and carrying out a number of anti-burglary measures; liaising with specialist officers, building intelligence, monitoring known offenders, and putting in future plans for issues.
On Thursday 7 September, leading into the 8th, officers received reports that a house was being burgled in Middleton Road, Blackley – with neighbourhood and response officers quickly out to the scene. Upon arrival, a car was seen to make off from the area – where it was pursued and stopped.
One man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of offences including burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, and driving dangerously.
Upon searching the address, officers found a suspected cannabis farm, with a number of plants and paraphernalia seemingly having recently been taken. A number of fully-grown and baby plants were recovered, with it being estimated that there were around 250 plants prior to the suspected burglary.
Specialist officers worked over the weekend to dismantle the equipment and grow found in the address, with the work further encapsulating Blackley’s neighbourhood officers’ determination to investigate burglaries – including if the property in question is a suspected cannabis farm!
Further arrests throughout the week included a teenager arrested on suspicion of possession of a class B drug, and a man arrested on suspicion of assault.
Inspector Antonia Jackson, from Greater Manchester Police’s Manchester district, said: “Our local officers received reports of burglaries and have been quick to act, allocating resources aimed at deterring this crime, which we always take care to investigate as a force priority issue.
“I want people in the Blackley area to know that we take their reports extremely seriously. Upon receiving reports of burglaries occurring over the last month, we immediately put in place plans for an operation, which has been a huge success.
“We received no reports of home-based burglaries in the area during the week, which is a testament to the hard work of the neighbourhood team, who have been rigorously patrolling the area and investigating all criminality. The one report we received of a burglary was at an address used to grow suspected drugs, so that was a double win for our team.”
Bee In the Loop is your direct line to your neighbourhood policing team and will keep you in the loop about what is happening on your street and in your local community. Sign up now to receive free text or email alerts –
Dramatic Dashcam Video Shows Moments Before 21-Year-Old Was Fatally Shot by Police
Police fatally shot the suspect after he shot an officer while resisting arrest.
ByABC News
1:25
Newly-Released Video of a Deadly Police ShootingVideo shows police struggling with a suspect, resisting arrest, when he suddenly pulls out a gun and begins shooting.
— — Dramatic dashcam video released by police Monday caught the moments before a simple misdemeanor arrest turned deadly when a 21-year-old man, who shot one of the officers, was then fatally shot by authorities in South Carolina last November.
In the video, two officers in Cayce, South Carolina, can be seen talking with Demetrius Bryant, when they discover a small bag of marijuana in his pocket. One officer tells the 21-year-old that it’s a misdemeanor offense. But as they attempt to put his hands behind his back, urging Bryant not to tense up, the situation escalates. When the officer tells Bryant he is being charged with resisting arrest, Bryant pulls a gun on the arresting officers from his back pocket.
Bryant then fires the weapon at the officers and flees. One of the officers can be seen chasing Bryant between two buildings, where police say he was shot twice and killed.
The two police officers involved in the incident won’t be charged in Bryant’s death, the Cayce Department of Public Safety said in a press release.
There was a “lack of any sufficient evidence that would support criminal charges against our officers,” the department said.
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One of the officers was shot in his upper left leg during the incident, said Sgt. Evan Antley, public information officer with the Cayce Department of Public Safety. The injury was not life-threatening.
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Bryant had been found guilty of marijuana possession of one ounce or less in October 2014, a public index for Richland County shows.
