Oxnard Police Releases Critical Incident Community Briefing Following Police-Involved Shooting Thursday

OXNARD, Calif. – On Thursday, the Oxnard Police Department released a Critical Incident Community Briefing on the officer-involved shooting of 27-year-old Isaiah Nichols of Oxnard on May 26, 2024.

A video of the town hall meeting can be found on the Oxnard Police Department’s YouTube channel, as well as on the law enforcement agency’s Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram accounts.

On May 26 at around 11:26 p.m., officers were called to the area between Ventura Road and Doris Avenue for a report of a man walking after receiving multiple calls, the Oxnard Police Department said.

According to Oxnard police, one of the officers who responded to the man recognized him as 27-year-old Isaiah Nichols of Oxnard, who had an outstanding arrest warrant for attempted murder.

That warrant was issued following an unrelated stabbing incident on May 17, 2024, in which Nichols allegedly stabbed a woman in the head multiple times before fleeing the scene, Oxnard police said.

The stabbing occurred on a public street in Oxnard and was captured on surveillance camera video, Oxnard police said.

When officers arrived at the scene on May 26, they found Nichols holding kitchen scissors and repeatedly ordered him to put the scissors on the ground, Oxnard police said.

As the response continued, officers and Nichols went to the 500 block of North N Street and then to the intersection of North Ventura Road and Doris Avenue, where they unsuccessfully used a non-lethal “bean bag” shotgun and stun guns to subdue Nichols, Oxnard police said.

Below is an image from the Oxnard Police Department showing a small cloth bag used in “bean bag” shotguns that were deployed as part of this police response.

According to Oxnard police, Nichols turned and walked toward officers at the intersection of Ventura and Doris, still holding the scissors.

Simultaneously, Officers Jesus Garcia and Alan Espino fired their service weapons, striking Nichols, Officer Jon Castillo fired a bean bag shot from his non-lethal shotgun, and Officers Favian Flores and Mason Galindo fired their Tasers assigned to the Oxnard Police Department.

Below is a still from the Critical Incident Community Briefing video capturing the moment multiple officers fired their various weapons.

According to Oxnard police, Nichols fell to the ground injured but was still holding the scissors when he tried to get up.

“Sergeant Enrique Alvarez fired his taser, which was ineffective. Officer Mason Galindo then fired his taser, which was effective and caused Nichols to drop the scissors and return to the ground,” Oxnard police said.

According to Oxnard police, nearby medical personnel began providing life-saving treatment on the scene once officers were able to safely approach Nichols.

As of the press conference on Thursday, June 13, Nichols is being treated for his injuries at a medical facility in Ventura County. Once released, he will face multiple charges, including his previous attempted murder conviction, Oxnard police said.

All officers involved are assigned to the Oxnard Police Department’s patrol division and had completed training in the crisis intervention team prior to the shooting, the Oxnard Police Department said.

According to Oxnard police, none of the officers had previously been involved in a police-involved shooting, and by the time of the June press conference, all officers had returned to duty.

The officers involved and their periods of service with the police are listed below:

• Sergeant Enrique Alvarez, employed by the Oxnard Police Department since June 1997
• Officer Jesus Garcia, employed by the Oxnard Police Department since October 2020
• Officer Alan Espino, employed by the Oxnard Police Department since September 2022
• Officer Favian Flores, employed by the Oxnard Police Department since December 2022
• Officer Jon Castillo, a police officer in Oxnard since August 2022 and previously served four years as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
• Officer Mason Galindo, a police officer in Oxnard since April 2019 and previously served for nearly two years as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

“As part of our commitment to transparency with our community, we feel it is important to share this video with the community we serve,” said Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites. “Now that all of the individuals involved have been interviewed, we hope that releasing this video with the public will correct any misinformation surrounding this incident.”

The investigation into this incident is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Adam Aguilar at 805-385-7680 or via email at [email protected].