Man dies in custody of Fullerton police after multiple attempts to subdue him

FULLERTON, Calif. (FOX 11) - An in-custody death investigation is underway after a Fullerton man died following an altercation with neighbors and police Monday afternoon.

The Fullerton Police Department responded to the 200 block of S. Kellog Dr. regarding a 22-year-old man who was reportedly causing a disturbance in the street.

Witnesses reported he was acting erratically and yelling at people as they walked by.

When officers arrived, they recognized the man from recent similar calls that same day. The man's father called police because his son was being disruptive.

Officers also recognized the man from a separate incident on February 2 when he attacked firefighters responding to an unrelated call in the area.

On Monday, a woman was home with her 2-year-old and 6-year-old children when the man, her neighbor banged on her side door several times and broke into the home.

In the home security footage you can hear the woman screaming as the man continuously punched the door.

The Orange County Coroner has not yet released the man's identity, but neighbors identified him as Daniel Espinoza. They described him as uncontrollable, but not violent.

Officers fired several lethal sponge gun rounds and tased Espinoza, but it wasn't until paramedics sedated him that he calmed down enough to be put into the ambulance.

Espinoza died on the way to the hospital.

As is standard practice for any in-custody death involving Fullerton Police Officers, the Orange County District Attorney's Office was contacted and Investigators responded for an independent investigation of the circumstances leading up to the in-custody death.

Anyone with information about this incident, and the other incidents mentioned, is encouraged to contact the Fullerton Police Crimes Persons Unit at (714) 738-6776. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1(855) TIP-OCCS or can visit their website at www.p3tips.com/913.