Police body camera footage showed a deadly shooting after officers pursued a homicide suspect to the end of a pier in Newport Beach, California.
Jose Velasquez, 45, died at the scene after police followed his SUV into a dead end before ultimately shooting him to death.
Before police fired, Velasquez had reportedly brandished a firearm, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The incident happened Feb. 1, but police didn’t release the footage until March 10, according to KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
WARNING: The following video contains images that some may find offensive.
Other footage recorded by witnesses showed the pursuit from different angles.
Cell phone footage captured a police pursuit in Newport Beach that ended in gunfire at the pier around 7am this morning. According to a press release, no one was injured in the incident and the suspect was taken into custody. #newportbeach pic.twitter.com/aPYDbFwalC
— OC Hoods (@ocxhoods) February 1, 2025
Police chase ends with gunfire at the end of the Newport beach pier. 😨 pic.twitter.com/9gy7cTBlPF
— AlphaFo𝕏 (@Alphafox78) February 1, 2025
On Feb. 1, police responded to a report of an unresponsive woman, 38-year-old Storm Wolf, inside a pickup truck in Menifee, California, which is about a two-hour drive east from Newport Beach.
Police tracked Velasquez, Wolf’s boyfriend and suspected killer, to his ex-wife’s home in Santa Ana, California, which is between Newport Beach and Menifee.
Dispatchers told police that Velasquez was armed with a handgun and driving a silver Honda CRV.
Police chased Velasquez through several cities before ending up in Newport Beach, where they finally pursued him to the end of the pier.
Velasquez got out and reportedly flashed a 9mm Glock before police shot nearly 30 rounds at him.
Rajon Robinson was on the pier fishing with his family when the incident happened.
At first, people weren’t sure what to think.
“Next thing you know, a helicopter is hovering above and we hear sirens,” Robinson said. “Then we see a car driving up on the pier. We’ve never seen a car drive up on the pier before as we’re fishing.
“They drove all the way to the end of the pier,” he said. “The man was driving pretty calmly as well. It was like he didn’t have any intention to hurt anybody that was on the pier.”
Despite the volley of gunfire, nobody was injured.
“We heard a multitude of shots being fired so I had to shield and protect my son, my dad had to shield and protect my nephew just to make sure everybody was OK,” Robinson said. “I’m kind of traumatized by it … we’re all traumatized and devastated.”
Police said the pistol Velasquez flashed was likely the same one he allegedly used to kill Wolf.
The Santa Ana Police Department is still investigating the incident.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
