A man shot by a deputy on Thursday at a Lake Forest strip mall had pointed a loaded handgun at deputies, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced on Saturday.
The department identified the man as 34-year-old Ethan Chase Mull, who was wanted on felony warrants for theft, weapons and drug offenses, according to a news release.
Mull, of Lake Forest, also was suspected in a domestic violence incident involving a family member the previous day, the release states. It did not specify further.
Around 3 p.m. on Aug. 7, deputies found Mull at a retail store near El Toro Road and Trabuco Road. When he exited the store, deputies tried to detain him. Mull pointed a loaded handgun at them, and one deputy fired, striking him, officials said.
Mull was given medical aid at the scene and taken to a hospital by the Orange County Fire Authority. His condition was not available on Saturday.
At one point during the episode, a deputy was bitten by a police K-9. The deputy was treated and released from the hospital. No other deputies were injured.
Court records show Mull was charged in 2018 with felony assault with a deadly weapon. The disposition of that case was not available on Saturday.
In 2023, he was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of body armor by a felon, possession of a silencer, and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, along with misdemeanor resisting arrest, the records show.
He was sentenced to three years in prison and later released on post-release community supervision, which he admitted to violating twice this year, in January and May, resulting in a warrant being issued.
In July 2025, court records show, Mull was charged with burglary, grand theft, possession of a firearm and assault weapon, possession of a controlled substance while armed, felon in possession of body armor, and unauthorized use of personal identifying information.
The charges stem from a July 16 case in Irvine, in which police say he burglarized a Public Storage facility, then ran from detectives before being arrested at his home, where police said they found drugs, firearms and ammunition inside.
Mull pleaded not guilty, but failed to appear for a court hearing, resulting in a warrant being issued.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the deputy shooting. The sheriff’s department said audio and video from the scene will be released in the future as the law requires.
