December 21, 2022
LA HABRA, CA—Police have released bodycam footage of a deadly gunfight between officers and a suspect in front of the La Habra police station.
The footage shows the suspect, Matthew-Tuan Anh Tran, 22, pulling a pistol out from his waist and shooting a police officer twice, hitting him in the body before another officer returned fire, striking Tran three times.
The 22-year-old suspect was soon pronounced dead.
The officer who was shot was injured after one of Tran’s rounds went through his bulletproof vest and hit him in the upper chest. He spent a week in the hospital, according to ABC7.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the shooting and deemed the officer who shot Tran acted in a “reasonable and justified” manner under the circumstances.
The violent string of events started on August 6, 2021, around 7 p.m. when a woman called 911 about a person she did not know following and tailgating her on the 5 freeway as she drove home from work. The other driver, Tran, was following her with every turn and lane change she made, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
She was advised to drive to the La Habra police station on North Euclid Street.
Tran, driving a 1998 Toyota Camry, continued to follow her and parked behind her at the police station. He then exited his vehicle and attempted to enter the front lobby of the building.
The lobby was closed but soon two officers approached Tran and started talking to him.
The 22-year-old suspect said he was trying to see someone inside the building. As one officer takes a few steps back, the footage shows Tran pulling a gun and opening fire on the officer.
The second officer quickly returned fire, shooting five rounds.
Tran fell to the ground but still had his pistol in his hand. The officer shouted at Tran multiple times to drop his weapon or she would continue to fire.
At that moment, other officers arrived and provided assistance. They approached Tran and removed his weapon and moved him onto the sidewalk and placed him in handcuffs. Tran had been shot in the head and had no pulse at that point.
According to police, Tran was armed with a fabricated “Glock-style 9mm” pistol with no serial number, which is considered a “ghost gun.”
An autopsy later showed Tran had amphetamine, marijuana, and methamphetamine in his system.
Feature Screenshots via ABC7