California Police Searching For Long-Haired Naked Man Carrying Axe

Police in a mountainous community of central California are actively searching for a long-haired male seen Wednesday afternoon carrying an ax and wearing no clothes. The man was spotted 70 miles east of the city of Stockton.

It was approximately 1:45 P.M. Wednesday (July 17) when police first received calls of a nude male wielding an ax in the town of Groveland, according to mymotherload.com. As of Thursday morning, no leads have been reported to authorities. The man was seen near some outbuildings in town, but when police arrived there were no signs of the individual.

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More than 1,200 people across the country were shot and killed by police in 2023, according to policeviolencereport.org.

Police issued a statement advising area residents to be on the lookout and not to approach the man if spotted, according to mymotherload.com. Area residents received alerts in the matter via crime apps.

It was eight months ago that police near Los Angeles had no choice but to shoot a male subject who approached them with a hammer in the backyard of a residence, according to nbclosangeles.com. Body cameras worn by the LAPD recorded the incident which was broadcast to Southern California residents.

Last summer, another Southern California man was shot dead by police for arming himself with a small ax and refusing to comply with police. That video also went viral throughout the state. The male subject was attempting to break into a home when he was confronted by police, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

Police have the right to use deadly force when approached by individuals armed and non-compliant. More than 1,200 people across the country were shot and killed by police in 2023, according to policeviolencereport.org.