Video released of police officer shooting, killing armed suspect in Merced County

Atwater police said the footage shows the suspect pointing a gun at the officer during a foot pursuit

A screenshot of footage taken from an Atwater police officer’s body camera is shown here. FULL VIDEO BELOW AND AT WWW.ATWATER.ORG

By VICTOR A. PATTON

victor@cvlocaljournalism.org

Oct. 20, 2023

ATWATER (CVJC) — Atwater police have released video footage of an Aug. 13 incident where a suspect was shot and killed after pointing a gun at an officer during a foot pursuit, according to Police Chief Michael Salvador. 

The 10-minute video was uploaded Tuesday evening to the city’s website and contains footage from an Atwater police officer’s body camera plus aerial footage shot from a Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office helicopter. 

Salvador said the video clearly shows suspect Korey James Unti, 36, pointing a gun at an officer. 

Officers were investigating a stolen property case in the 1000 block of Fairway Drive. The suspect, who was driving a silver Dodge Durango, was observed near the area. 

The suspect fled in the vehicle when officers tried to conduct a traffic stop. Unti led officers in a vehicle pursuit, passing through a stop sign and driving at an unsafe speed. He had fired multiple shots at police during the chase, Salvador said. 

The pursuit came to an end in the area of Kelso and Nashua streets after the Durango crashed into a parked car at an apartment complex. 

The suspect led police in a foot chase through an apartment complex in the 5000 block of Crest Road. Unti was shot after pointing a gun at a responding officer. The suspect died at the scene, according to Salvador.

Salvador said officers recovered a semi-automatic handgun at the scene. The firearm chamber was empty but there were six rounds in the magazine. 

As a part of standard protocol, Salvador said an independent review of the incident is being conducted by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.  Atwater Police Department is also conducting its own internal review.

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED