Investigation Underway After Police Officer Shoots Suspect In SD

CHULA VISTA, CA — A 32-year-old man died after being shot by a Chula Vista police officer, and an investigation is underway, authorities reported Monday.

Just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Chula Vista Police Department responded to multiple calls in the 1100 block of Broadway claiming that a woman was screaming for help as a man was hitting her, according to authorities.

Chula Vista Police responded and located the suspect callers identified as a man wearing a white t-shirt and gray sweatpants, walking with a wheelchair, and hitting cars with his hands and parts from the wheelchair. One caller noted that the man was standing next to a black truck in a shopping center parking lot, according to police.

A canine officer arrived at the scene and located the suspect standing next to the parked truck in the parking lot. As the officer began to make contact, he noticed the man was holding a knife, according to authorities.

While police asked the suspect to drop his weapon, the man climbed into the bed of the pickup, crouched down, and began hitting the back windows of the truck, police reported. It was later determined the truck did not belong to the suspect.

The suspect then jumped back out of the truck and began approaching the officer with the knife in his hand, police reported.

Police again asked the man to drop the knife and to stop approaching the officer, but he continued, police reported.

This prompted the canine officer to fire his service weapon at the man, striking him multiple times, according to the San Diego Police department.

The knife-wielding man fell to the ground and officers were able to move the knife away from him and begin life-saving efforts until the paramedics arrived, according to the SDPD.

The man, a Chula Vista resident, was pronounced dead at the scene, police reported. His identity has not been released.

The officer who shot and killed the man has been employed by CVPD for approximately five years and is currently assigned as a canine handler, police reported. No officers were injured during this incident.

Per the Countywide Memorandum of Understanding, the San Diego Police Homicide Unit was called to the scene to conduct the investigation. When the Homicide Unit completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions, according to authorities.

The Chula Vista Police Department will conduct an administrative investigation into the officers' discharge of their firearm.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the United States Attorney's Office will also be monitoring the investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

—City News Service