Officer involved shooting in Pixley

Reported by: Kathryn Herr
Set Text Size SmallSet Text Size MediumSet Text Size LargeSet Text Size X-Large
Share
Updated: 11/14/2012 8:28 am

A man who police say was a wanted felon was shot and killed by an officer with the Tulare County Gang Task Force Tuesday afternoon.

The shooting happened in a dirt lot at Center and Allen, near the Prince Food Mart in Pixley.

Family members identify the man who was killed as 32-year-old Cecil Ray Elkins Junior.

Authorities were looking for Elkins. They got a tip he was in Pixley.

When they tried to contact him at the Food Mart, Elkins reportedly ran.

Investigators have not said what prompted the officer to shoot.

Elkins' family gathered across the street from the store.

"I strongly feel it was unjustified," said Elkins' father, Cecil Elkins Senior, of the shooting

"In the video I seen him get out of the vehicle, run in front of the Food Mart, the whole time he's got his arms at his side in a running stride," Elkins' Senior said.

Elkins Senior said his son and the officers ran out of the view of the camera and that the shooting was not captured on camera.

CBS47 has learned that Elkins Junior was released from prison in January. He'd been convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

He was suspected of stealing three cars and trying to run down officers in the City of Tulare Monday morning. Tulare Police shot at him, but he got away.

Investigators are interviewing witnesses to the officer involved shooting that left Elkins dead. Anyone who saw the shooting is asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

"He fled on foot and the officers chased him into the dirt lot at Center and Allen in Pixley and shots were fired by one officer," said Sgt. Chris Douglass with the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, the agency that is investigating the shooting.Elkins' father said the moments right before the shooting were captured on surveillance cameras at the Food Mart.
Share
0 Comment(s)
Comments: Show | Hide

Here are the most recent story comments.View All

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of KGPE CBS47 TV

No comments yet!
Inergize Digital This site is hosted and managed by Inergize Digital.
Mobile advertising for this site is available on Local Ad Buy.
KGPE TV CBS47 - Serving the Counties of Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare
in the Central San Joaquin Valley of California