California Police shot and killed an armed man on the sand in Huntington Beach on Saturday amidst large crowds present for the annual U.S. Open of Surfing.
Police said they received reports around 3:15 p.m. of a suspicious man with a gun at Huntington City Beach, according to a statement released on social media Saturday night.
Police approached him on the sand, where they say the subject was “noncompliant” with officers’ orders, leading to cops opening fire.
“Various lifesaving measures were provided, and the subject was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased,” police said.
A gun was recovered at the scene, according to police.
The man wasn’t identified.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will now lead the investigation into the shooting, police said.
Photos and videos circulated on social media showed the wounded man lying on his back in the sand, not moving.
“We started hearing pop, pop, pop,” Hector Tovar, who lives nearby, told the OC Register. “I thought it was fireworks, that’s how many rounds there were.”
A large section of the beach was cordoned off while law enforcement investigated.
The surf tournament is expected to go on as planned on Sunday.