Edit Transcript

Language

Format

Source

Auto-generated

Yes

Confidence

Content

HEY GANG, STOP THE VEHICLE. BRING THE ARMY. IS this either me or why you police officers? >> It doesn't have to end this way. Max, >> you ready for this? Hey, bro. Don't do it. >> Don't do it, bro. I'm tell you right now. He's got a He's got >> scissors. >> Following a domestic dispute, Fresno police respond to a man in crisis who has reached his breaking point. As tensions rise, officers call for peace, but an ultimatum sends the night spiraling toward tragedy. >> The body camera doesn't pick up emotion. It doesn't pick up the level of fear that you feel. The only way that this incident was going to end was how it did. >> The following is based on official police records, and some of the footage has never been seen before until now. Just after 3:00 a.m. on November 4th, 2023, dispatchers in Fresno, California, receive a call to 911. >> 911. State your emergency. >> Hi, I need you to please come to my apartment. My ex's name is Max. Max. >> Who else is there besides the two of you? >> Nobody. It's just me. It's him. >> And he doesn't have any weapons right now. >> No, I don't know. Whatever's in my kitchen. >> Okay. Do you drunk or high? >> He's drunk. He just walked out [clears throat] of my apartment. >> Do you have access to a car? >> Yes, he does. He has a Tesla. He just walked out with my with my bottle of tequila. Oh my god. I don't know if he maybe grabbed something from the kitchen when he grabbed a bottle. I don't want to walk outside. I don't want to see if you keep yourself >> safe. On the way. Okay. [laughter] >> I think he's getting into his Tesla right now. I see him. >> He's going. >> Let me know if he leaves. Okay. >> He's in his car. I can see him from outside the window. He's putting his seat belt on, but I know he's been drinking. His car is on. He's backing out. He's backing out. He's speeding. He drove off really fast. >> The man she described as her ex would later be identified as her husband, 33-year-old Maxilliano. Max Sosa Jr. who isn't at the apartment when officers arrive. She explains the two had a heated argument just before he left. >> We've been separated since January, February. >> Okay. >> And I had a thing with this guy. It was like the reason why we basically split up and so he picked me up from tower with my friends. And [clears throat and snorts] when we got here, I guess he was going through my phone and he saw that I was still in contact with this other guy and he took off. And then when I kind of like realized what was going on, I I saw that he had gone and I walked out and then he walked in and he grabbed a bottle of tequila and then he said that he was going to kill him and >> so I don't think he he wouldn't actually do it. I know. No, >> did he get physical with you at all tonight or anything? >> No, just locked out. He told me to come inside and he like brought me inside. But yeah, >> he's never been physical or violent like that. He's just he's hurt, >> right? >> I [clears throat] don't think he'll know where this guy lives, but he came back and said that he he was looking at the guy's place like his gate was locked. I want him to be involved and he has like nothing to do with this. As they begin to canvas the parking lot for signs of Max's car, it suddenly appears without warning, catching everyone off guard. >> STOP. STOP THE VEHICLE. >> Vehicle is leaving the apartment complex north on >> 59. Try to keep eyes on it. >> 32 just for info. He tried to run me over. All right. >> While patrolled units continue searching for Max, Officer Ayes quickly returns to the apartment. >> Is he here? >> No, he's not here. He's almost his best friend is >> Hey, this is Officer Ayes at the Fresno Police Department. >> Yeah. All right, I don't give a anymore. >> What's going on, Max? What's going on, dude? Why did you try to run an officer over with your vehicle? He hung up on me. But it isn't long before he's back on the line. >> Stop calling him. Ma'am, >> where are you? >> Can I talk to him? >> Haven't you? Huh? Ask him to come over after you talk with me. >> Hey, Max. Officer again. >> Go yourself, officer. >> Hey, I'm just trying to come to a peaceful resolution here. Okay, this you you calling him is not helping. It's going to keep getting him in a in an angry mood. Okay. >> Rather than try to call Max again, she instead reaches out to one of his friends. He's being really disrespectful and I'm scared he's going to do something that's going to get himself hurt [clears throat] or killed. Sorry. This is not your responsibility. It's not I just I was I was hoping maybe you would be able to get through to him. >> Can I talk to you without him being on the phone? >> Yes. I got to go. >> Okay. >> Bye. >> Has he ever tried to do anything like this before? >> No. [laughter] >> Has he ever been arrested for anything? >> Never. Officer Ayes reaches out to Max once again by phone. >> You can meet up somewhere with us. We can have a [laughter] peace. >> You don't understand the Iing. I don't give a who you are, who you think you are. You don't understand the struggles that I've been through and I don't understand the struggles that you've been through. So, I'm not judging you so you don't get to judge me. I'll make a resolution. >> I don't want anybody else to get hurt. >> LIFE FOR THIS GODDAMN WOMAN. I UNDERSTAND THAT, MAX, and and I'm sorry that you feel uh the extent that you do to to be doing what you're doing right now, but I really think we could come to a peaceful resolution if you're willing to meet us somewhere. >> No. No. It's my life or his. You either let me find a fight to [laughter] fist or you're going to have kill me. >> You could at least give us a chance. >> Well, you ain't got no chance. My faith is sealed. You want to know why? cuz I already seen my death before this night. >> I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. >> There is there is there are worlds that people don't understand and unfortunately I have something that was passed down in my bloodline and I'm able to see unfortunately that was going to happen. I seen this coming. I didn't want to believe it. >> I understand that now. I think we could really help you if you just tell me where you are. >> You can, brother. No, you can't. >> Where are you right now, man? >> It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. You can't save them all. By the way, you guys suck at chasing people, dude. >> When his Tesla is once again spotted by police, officers pursue. >> Never known the call. The pit is authorized. >> Copy. Pit is authorized. >> Westbound veterans from Riverside. >> 519. We no longer have visual. I tried to run over one of your cops. I don't give a dude. I want blood tonight. You know, that I want blood. If you give me my blood, that mother's blood >> or one of your officers blood. You guys decide. That's it. >> But we don't want anybody to get hurt, Max. >> Someone's going to die tonight, my guy. You understand that? There's no way around it. Someone's going to die tonight. >> With threats escalating, officer Ayes calls for another unit to respond to the apartment. Once backup arrives, he attempts to reach through to Max once more. >> Hey, Max. It's Officer Aris again. >> No, go yourself, my guy. Right. I already told you. You ain't got nothing to say to me. Nothing's going to change my mind. My mind is made. Do you understand that? Quit wasting your time. Go to sleep. Go hug your wife, your girlfriend, whatever the got. Okay, >> Max. I'm I'm just trying to help you, buddy. >> No, no, no, no, no. Go yourself. [laughter] Go through her phone cuz she's probably cheating on you too, my guy. Loyal. You understand that the heart wants what the heart wants. All right? And there's nothing you can do about that. Nothing in your super book, nothing in your super education, nothing you got in your pocket, nothing you got. There is nothing you can do when a man rock bottom. That's it. Do you understand that? >> Yes, Max. And I I understand how you're feeling tonight talking, my guy. SHUT UP AND HANG OUT. OKAY. Shut the up and HANG UP THE GODDAMN PHONE. BRING THE ARMY. Is this either me, him, or one of your POLICE OFFICERS? I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU AGAIN. >> WHILE Officer Ayes continues the conversation outside, his colleague works to determine where Max might be heading. >> Did you guys share children again? >> Where's your share of children at? >> My mom's house. >> Your mom's home? Does he know that? >> Does he know that? >> He knows that. He hasn't. >> That's not it. >> Not that he wants to. >> I'm going TO COME AFTER YOU. >> UM, >> what do you mean by that? >> Do you COME AFTER YOU ARE SO? >> NO, we keep losing him. We keep losing him. >> Yeah. But a sudden call over the radio puts both officers on high alert. >> Making a southbound turn on Dante. >> Copy southbound Dante. >> So he's heading back this direction south. >> Yeah. So Bullet's over here. >> Southbound on Dante. So they probably best ride by through here. >> Just for info. When I was on the phone with him, he said he was going to come after me. He didn't know where I was. He said, but I was >> The two officers head outside to scan the parking lot, but see no sign of Max's vehicle. When they return, they notice that he's back on the phone with his wife. >> Please tell me where you're at. >> You should put him on speaker. He's going to catch me, but he's not going to catch me. Not going to catch me. >> Hey, I want you to know that tonight I die. All right. And I die or one of these cops dies and I want to stop. >> You know that you ruined me. Congratulations. You won. >> Let's Let's not do that. Answer the phone anymore. >> Yeah. >> In an instant, the search for Max comes to an abrupt end. >> Are you Who are you? >> You ready for this? >> Hey, bro. Don't do it, dude. Don't do it, bro. I'm tell you right now. >> Were you the one that was telling me, bro? talking. He's got a He's got >> scissors. >> Hey, do what you want. Get back. >> We could talk it out. >> No, we can't. >> Why can't we talk it out? >> Do it for your Do it. Do Do it for your daughter. >> Stop. At least do your research. My daughter, I don't have >> Okay, daughter. But this school guy, but I need you to realize that guy. This is what I want to do. Drop it. You or him. You guys decide. Drop it, dude. I'm telling you right now. Drop it. Don't do this. I don't want to shoot you. >> I don't want to shoot you. >> I do not. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED. >> Stop it. This is what you want. >> Two. We need units here. Go. Three. >> Pop it. You ready? >> I don't want I don't want to shoot you. >> You don't want TO SHOOT ME. THEN WHY THE DOING THIS? >> BECAUSE YOU HAVE a scissors, bro. >> Then why doing this? >> We came here just to check up on you. [laughter] >> This is done. This is done. >> Ma'am, sit down. >> This is done. >> Sit down. No, you decided that I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING. AND THIS IS how you hate me. >> Come on, Max. We can talk this out, bro. >> No, my guy. No, we >> No, we can't. >> We can't talk to you or you on the phone talking. >> Max, don't do this, brother. >> You can't >> don't do this, bro. I don't want to help you do this. Okay. This is going to be funny. >> Please. Have you shot anybody before? >> Max, have you shot anybody before? >> But have you shot anybody before? >> Max, don't make me do this, brother. >> Have you shot anybody before? >> Max, don't don't make me do this. >> Max, >> backup arrives and takes position just outside the apartment door with more officers on their way. >> You do not know that everything I cared about away from you. That's how you pay me. got one at gunpoint. >> Has a scissors in his right hand. >> Stop. Please, Max. >> This is how it ends. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED, >> MAX. >> This is what you wanted. Hey, by the way, my cousin, he works for uh uh Orange Co. He's a sergeant out there. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, sorry you guys have to do this, but it's going to happen this way. >> Listen, if you don't want to talk to us, how about you talk to one of my other partners? How about that? No, I don't want to talk to any. My fate is sealed, my guy. My fate is sealed. I am rock bottom. There's absolutely nothing you're going to do here. You give me that right now and I take his life or you can take my life. Yeah, I take my life. >> He's He's not here, Max. >> Exactly. So, it's going to be my life or you guys. That's it. That's all it's going to come down to. That's all it's going to come down to. >> Can Can we talk? >> No. No, we can't talk because I am done with this dude. I have tried so goddamn hard and especially for you. >> I understand what's going for you. I tried so hard. >> Where you going? >> Hey, wait. Wait. Wait. All right. I get that. I get that. >> No. No. You can go out that way. >> I'll let you go out that way. >> You want to let me go out? >> Yeah, I'll let you go. >> She has to come out with me, though. >> No, I'm not going to hurt her. That's my boy's mom. I'm not going to hurt her. Okay. >> I'm not going to hurt her. I don't worry about her. Let's just You want to go out there with them? I want you guys to shoot me in the >> No, I don't want to shoot you. That's the thing. >> Go out there. No, you're going to shoot me. You're going to shoot me. >> Please don't hurt him. >> Chill out. >> When the taser's deployed and fails to subdue him, three officers discharge their weapons and Max falls forward onto the pavement. shots fired. Officers are code for a suspect is down. >> All right, hold on. You guys good? >> Good. Good. >> Hold on. >> One officer rushes to a cruiser to retrieve a first aid kit. Max is unmoving as one of them takes hold of the scissors and tosses them away into the grass. They each glove up before rolling Max onto his back. >> Stay talked here. >> Yep. >> Uh I don't know the other hand. >> CPR continues with officers taking turns to prevent exhaustion. Ays heads back into the apartment. I'm sorry, ma'am. It's okay. >> We're We're getting him help right now. Okay. >> We're getting him help. >> This is all my fault. >> It's not your fault. You can't control other people's actions. Okay. >> What happens next shifts from chaos to questions as investigators try to make sense of what happened. Max's wife isn't yet told his condition as she's brought into an interrogation room. While she waits, she quietly shares details of their dispute with a friend. >> He kept saying that he said, "I've come to the conclusion like that you're with him and I'm okay with that. Just tell me the truth." But I wasn't going to sit I wasn't going to tell him we're not together. I told him we're not together. We still see each other like we mess around. He comes over sometimes. But I wasn't going to tell him that. Why have a cough? He got my phone and he went through the messages. I would have been texting. How do you get your phone? I, you know, I was drinking. I I was tired. I remember I fell asleep in the car and then I just remember being in bed and then he woke me up, calling me a [ __ ] calling me a liar, saying he was going to go him. [clears throat] >> Investigators spoke with Max's best friend, who received a text message from him shortly before everything took a turn for the worse. It says, "I found out she's still him." And he put a sad emoji. >> His friend explains that he spoke to Max on the phone while he was being pursued by police and shares the tragic details of their conversation. >> He had called, I think, some prevention hotline. But that person that he had called on that hotline, they hung up on him or they gave up on him or something. Something abruptly happened, I guess, because he just said, "I got to go. Thank you for everything and I love you. >> Officer Ays is questioned about his own conversations with Max, recalling one particular exchange between them. >> He was just making comments that showed me even more that nothing mattered to him. I mean, this is a man who who was hurting and angry and and sad. And he told me, "You're never going to forget this night. It's going to be engraved in your memory." >> Listen, this is the one case that's going to stick with you forever. Okay, brother. I want you to remember this night and I hope the guy that you learn from it. You can't save them all. I'm one of those you can't save. >> But these statements he was making on the phone u did that also contribute to the way you were feeling? >> Oh yeah, absolutely. This is the part where I became the most scared that I've ever been in my entire life. >> Understand? >> I mean he he already told me he's coming after me specifically. He already threatened to kill police officers prior to even threatened me specifically. The threat's right here and it's in front of me. And I was thinking I was thinking in my head, I'm like, "This guy actually showed up here. He's armed with scissors. He already said he doesn't care about his life." That's that's the moment where you realize what you're probably going to end up have having to do. And um it's scary. It's a scary feeling. It really is. >> Investigators asks whether the officers had other non-lethal force options that could have been used. I get that like probably to the public using a baton in a situation like that might might make the most sense. Um, but when it comes to law enforcement, you want to meet whatever threat you encounter with a greater threat. I mean, that's our lives are on the line. So, I'm not going to bring a baton or a knife to a scissor fight. I'm sure somebody when they got on scene would have brought up a less lethal shotgun, which I'm sure probably would have been more effective than a taser. Um, we just didn't have the time for that. I tried to call the sergeant that we had that night twice. I didn't get an answer either time and I tried to call him over the radio and I didn't get an answer. I don't want anybody thinking I didn't try to contact a superior or anything to, you know, maybe try to get some more um additional resources out there like like possibly like a crisis negotiator or something to try to talk to the guy. >> Officer Abraham, who was with inside the apartment, also tells investigators he tried calling for additional help. If he wasn't listening to us, maybe like their parents are more officers who were able to read the need, get like a less lethal, someone who has like more better negotiation skills compared to mess. They could probably help out even more. >> Officer Crockett, who was positioned directly in front of Max as the taser deployed, put in his own words what happened next. He >> begins to like [clears throat] charge for me. It's like a like, oh, like he's coming towards me. Like I'm just like I'm in fear. Like I'm like was like legit like oh crap. It was just like scary feeling. >> Ultimately, officers Crockett, Ayes, and Abraham each fired their weapons. >> What do you think would have happened if he didn't shoot? >> I feel like he had the potential to hurt me 100%. >> If I didn't shoot, he probably would have stabbed him. He probably would have killed him. I truly believe that. I mean, people can can watch the body cam footage and uh see a situation and easily judge that situation. The body camera doesn't pick up emotion. It doesn't pick up the level of fear that you feel. the the emotion is the most important part because that's what leads you to make your decisions. >> In her interview, Max's wife shared what entered her mind as the shots rang out and investigators reveal heartbreaking news. >> I kept telling myself that the pops were like like pallet whatever the not not a a real gun. >> Mhm. >> And in my mind, he's okay. He's just on the floor. >> There's really no easy way for me to tell you this. But I'm sorry, Max didn't make you tonight. I hate to have to break this news to you. I'm sorry for your loss. [laughter] >> No, you're lying. >> I wish I was. I wish I was. >> They exit the room, giving her time alone with her friend. >> Oh my gosh. No. Did I cause [snorts] this? >> No, you didn't. >> Yes, I did. Officer Ayes leaves the investigators with his final thoughts regarding the incident. >> The only thing that I am proud about when it comes to that situation is the fact that all of us are okay. Once we saw him at the front door, it's it seemed like I just knew that the only way that this incident was going to end was how it did. >> In a GoFundMe created by Max's family to cover burial expenses, his sister wrote, "Max was caring, responsible, humble, and everyone he met was a friend. He absolutely didn't deserve this ending. If you'd like to see select new videos early and help us keep uncovering case files that rarely come to light, you'll find extra footage and unseen details on our Patreon. Channel memberships here on YouTube also include early access to select new

Cancel