Fresno police release body cam footage of officer’s close call with a bullet to the head

Incident Involving Fresno Police Officer Captured on Body Camera

Newly released body camera footage highlights a dramatic encounter in which a Fresno police officer narrowly avoided death.

The footage shows the tense moments when an unnamed officer attempted to apprehend a suspect, who pulled a gun and shot at him. Fortunately, the bullet grazed the upper part of the officer’s baseball cap, according to details shared on a video posted by the Fresno Police Department.

This incident took place on December 7, 2025, as police were patrolling downtown Fresno and found two men near a fire in an alley.

One officer recognized the suspect, 41-year-old Bradley Nicholson, who was under post-release community supervision.

When approached, Nicholson lied about his identity, claiming his name was “Jason.” He then resisted arrest and tried to flee.

In the body camera footage, the officer can be seen trying to calm Nicholson down while warning him about being dragged if necessary.

Nicholson repeatedly demanded to be released and denied being on parole. Despite this, the officer insisted they were taking him in.

During the struggle, Nicholson reached for a gun he had concealed and fired a shot at the officer, hitting his hat and causing it to fall to the ground. Amazingly, the officer remained unharmed. He later described feeling a “burning sensation” as the bullet passed through his hair.

After being shot at, the officer returned fire and chased after Nicholson, who was trying to escape.

The second officer present reacted quickly, shouting commands for Nicholson to freeze and show his hands before firing a shot that hit Nicholson in the cheek.

In a post-incident interview, the second officer mentioned seeing the first officer’s hat fly off and initially feared the worst for his colleague.

Nicholson then sought refuge in a carport while still armed, but the injured officer maintained his composure throughout the ordeal as two officers attempted to persuade Nicholson to surrender peacefully.

After about 90 minutes, a SWAT team was summoned, and eventually, Nicholson dropped his weapon and surrendered. He was taken to the hospital, though he did not suffer any injuries.

Nicholson faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, two counts of assault on a peace officer, and possession of a firearm as a felon, according to court records.