Officers shot and killed a man wanted on a San Diego County murder warrant outside an In-N-Out restaurant in Orange County, authorities said, an encounter that escalated in plain view of customers and staff and reopened questions about police use of force and oversight.

Orange County law enforcement said the encounter occurred after officers identified a vehicle tied to an active murder warrant issued by San Diego authorities. According to a statement from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, officers attempted to detain the suspect outside the fast-food location when a confrontation ensued and shots were fired. The sheriff’s office said the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene; no officers were reported injured.

“This was a volatile situation involving a suspect wanted for a violent crime,” the sheriff’s office said in a brief release. “We will cooperate with all investigative authorities to ensure a complete and transparent review.” The department said body-worn camera footage was being secured and would be released “consistent with our policies and ongoing investigative needs.”

Witnesses described chaotic scenes as law enforcement and bystanders converged. “They had him on the ground and then there were more shots,” said a customer who declined to give a name. Another employee said the restaurant closed temporarily while officers processed the scene. In-N-Out did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The case will be reviewed by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and an internal affairs unit, and, as is common in California, may also draw scrutiny from independent civilian oversight bodies and state-level investigators if requested. Prosecutors must determine whether the officers’ actions were legally justified, a process that can take weeks or months.

The shooting arrives amid persistent national scrutiny of police killings. National databases compiled by outlets such as The Washington Post and Mapping Police Violence show that roughly 1,000 people are shot and killed by police each year in the United States, a statistic that has driven calls for reforms in training, de-escalation and accountability. Locally, the incident is likely to revive debates over patrol tactics and how agencies coordinate across county lines when suspects travel.

There is also a fiscal dimension. Police shootings frequently prompt civil rights lawsuits and settlements that can cost municipalities millions, with legal liability and reputational damage affecting local budgets and community trust. Local leaders said they were monitoring the situation. “We want a full accounting and the facts,” said a city council member in a neighboring jurisdiction. “Transparency is essential to maintaining public confidence.”

As investigators combed the scene for forensic evidence and reviewed video recordings, community advocates urged patience and transparency. The family of the suspect had not been publicly identified as of late Friday, and officials cautioned against premature conclusions. The case will test existing mechanisms for independent review and could influence policy discussions over use-of-force standards in Orange County and beyond.