Huntington Beach police fatally shoot armed suspect on beach as U.S. Open of Surfing underway nearby

Huntington Beach police fatally shot an armed suspect on the beach Saturday afternoon as the U.S. Open of Surfing was underway nearby.

The shooting occurred about 3:15 p.m., Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Carey told The Times.

The wounded man was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Police said they received reports about a “suspicious man with a gun” at the beach. After officers spotted the suspect just south of the pier, police said, he was “noncompliant to multiple commands given.”

A gun was recovered at the scene. But police did not say what exactly the man was doing when he failed to comply with their commands and what prompted the shooting.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will take over the investigation of the shooting.

One witness, Ana Leticia, described hearing what she thought were fireworks before she realized that police had shot a man. Many witnessed or heard the shooting at the beach because the surfing competition had drawn crowds.

In one video taken at Sandy’s Beach Shack, rapid gunfire can be heard as witnesses nearby are screaming.

Several witnesses posted photos on Twitter of the scene after the shooting. One photo showed police officers with guns drawn standing over the man lying on his back. Huntington Beach Fire Department personnel were also on scene as onlookers stood nearby.