Watch: Video Of Deadly Walnut Creek Police Shooting Shows Last Minutes Of Man's Life

WALNUT CREEK, CA — A late-night call in February to police about a man peering into homes spiraled into a fatal shooting.

Now, weeks later, city officials have released footage from cameras that captured the last minutes of a man's life and the officers who were the last ones to see him alive.

There was no question that the police shot Joaquin Anthony Pereyra, a 46-year-old Walnut Creek resident. The question is and remains how the shooting could have been prevented and how to avoid another fatal encounter with police.

The Walnut Creek Police Department released body-worn camera footage tied to the Feb. 26 officer-involved shooting near Buena Vista and Alvarado avenues in compliance with California law governing the release of critical incident videos.

Before making the footage public, officials offered the family of Pereyra an opportunity to view the video privately. City leaders said they continue to extend condolences to his mother and loved ones.

The video shows officers responding shortly after midnight to a report of a man in dark clothing looking into homes and parked vehicles with a flashlight.

When officers located a man, police said he matched the caller’s description and appeared to be holding a firearm.

Authorities later determined the object was a pellet gun that closely resembled a handgun.

According to police, an officer repeatedly ordered Pereyra to drop the weapon before opening fire when he did not comply. Pereyra died outside a residence on Alvarado Avenue as a result of the shooting.

“This remains a tragic incident for everyone involved,” said Ryan Hibbs, chief of police. “Releasing this footage is an important step in providing transparency to our community.”

Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk said in a statement that the community continues to grapple with the loss and urged residents to view the footage with care and respect.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent review under the Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol, while the police department continues its own internal administrative investigation.

The officers involved—Corporal Nick Michels and Officer Mike Lee—have since returned from administrative leave.

Family members have said Pereyra lived with schizophrenia and had struggled with treatment. His mother, a former county mental health commissioner, previously described years of attempts to manage his condition, including restraining orders and safety measures at home.

The case has renewed scrutiny on how law enforcement responds to mental health crises in Contra Costa County. Advocates, including leaders from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, have pointed to gaps in implementing state laws intended to expand involuntary treatment options for families.

The shooting also echoes a 2019 case in which Walnut Creek police fatally shot 23-year-old Miles Hall during a mental health crisis. That incident resulted in a $4 million settlement and ongoing public discussions about policing and crisis response, though prosecutors declined to file charges against the officers involved.

As multiple investigations continue, officials emphasized that the newly released footage captures only part of the encounter, with additional evidence still under review.