The Fresno Police Department on Wednesday released multiple images showing the head wounds a detective suffered in a stabbing attack this week inside his office.
The 24-year veteran of law enforcement was allegedly attacked by Joseph Lee Roy, 24, according to Fresno police. Police have not released the name of the detective.
The assault happened about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday in the detective’s office at the Fresno Police Department’s Annex building on N and Fresno streets, according to Police Chief Paco Balderrama.
Roy began stabbing the detective with a weapon he grabbed, police said. The weapon was only describing Wednesday as a “sharp object” by police.
Balderrama on Tuesday described the suspect as 6 feet tall and about 300 pounds.
Balderrama said the detective involved was in his 40s or 50s and is “not very big in stature.”
The detective suffered a puncture wound to the top of his head, a laceration starting from the top of his head down the right side of his face and a concussion, according to police
He has been released from the hospital, police said Wednesday.
Police said it was not immediately clear how the man got past locked gates and secured doors to enter the building, but that he wasn’t supposed to be there and was not immediately familiar to officers.
Police said Roy on Wednesday attended a court hearing before the alleged attack on the detective related to an assault with a deadly weapon case where Roy was a suspect in June 2021.
At some point during the incident Tuesday, the officer fired at least one shot at the suspect, Balderrama said. The suspect died at the scene.
The shooting is the fourth by an officer so far this year.
The city’s Office of Independent review and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office will be asked to be involved in the investigation, Balderrama said.
