Crime & Safety
2 Orange County Police Officers Not Charged in Fatal Shooting
Two Santa Ana police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a burglary suspect in Westminster won't face any criminal charges.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA -- Two Santa Ana police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a burglary suspect in Westminster will not face any criminal charges, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.
Prosecutors concluded ``there is a lack of sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt'' that Officers Connor Ahearn and Steven Lopez committed a crime in the July 8, 2018, shooting of Ngoc Dang Nguyen, 28.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the officers began pursuing the suspect -- who was wanted in connection with a residential burglary earlier that day -- around 10 p.m. in Santa Ana, and the chase led into Westminster, where Nguyen's car collided head-on with another car,
injuring the two occupants.
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The officers ordered Nguyen to surrender, but he slipped out of the car and ran off with what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun in his hand, according to the D.A.'s report. The shooting occurred as Nguyen was running into a brush area, with both officers firing shots and Nguyen falling face-down on the pavement. Evidence collected at the scene led investigators to determine that Nguyen had fired at least one shot, according to the report.
Nguyen was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.