Joseph Raymond Gutierrez II, 35, of Fresno died on March 19, 2021 after a confrontation with a security guard at a vacant building near Shaw and Fresno Avenue. Family and friends called him Joey or Big Joe and remembered him as a large, kind-hearted father, son, grandson and brother whose sudden death left a deep void.

Surveillance footage showed a physical altercation in which Gutierrez allegedly went after the security guard, who then fired his weapon, killing Gutierrez. The Fresno Police Department opened an investigation to determine whether the use of deadly force was justified; officials examined the video and other evidence and reviewed the guard’s training and response. A bystander, Reese Smith, was struck by a stray bullet and said he would pursue a lawsuit against the security company that employed the guard.

What details about that night or the people involved could help clarify whether the shooting was lawful or avoidable?