A man shot by sheriff’s deputies on Thursday at a Lake Forest strip mall had pointed a loaded handgun at them, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced on Saturday.
The department identified him as 34-year-old Ethan Chase Mull, who was wanted on felony warrants for theft, weapons and drug offenses, according to a news release. The details were not disclosed.
Mull, of Lake Forest, also was suspected in a domestic violence incident involving a family member the previous day, the release states. It did not specify further.
Around 3 p.m. on Aug. 7, deputies found Mull at a retail store near El Toro Road and Trabuco Road. When he exited the store, deputies tried to detain him. Mull pointed a loaded handgun at them, and one deputy fired, striking him, officials said.
Mull was given medical aid at the scene and taken to a hospital by the Orange County Fire Authority. His condition was not available on Saturday.
At one point during the episode, a deputy was bitten by a police K-9. The deputy was treated and released from the hospital. No other deputies were injured.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the shooting. The Sheriff’s Department said audio and video from the scene will be released in the future as the law requires.