Fresno, Calif. — Police have released body-worn camera and SWAT footage from the August 23, 2025 officer-involved shooting that killed 35-year-old Joseph Merical at an apartment near Blythe Avenue and Austin Way. Officers responded after Merical’s wife called police, reporting that he had barricaded himself inside and was threatening to harm himself because he did not want to go back to prison. When SWAT arrived, Merical refused to come out and was seen holding two knives. During the standoff, he charged at officers. After less-lethal rounds failed to stop him, officers fired. Merical was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. The shooting remains under investigation by Fresno Police internal affairs and an external review team.