SAN DIEGO — An officer fatally shot a 39-year-old Hispanic man Monday in Mountain View after police were called about a violent disturbance with a weapon, police said.
Around 4:30 a.m., police received a call about a man inside a home in the 300 block of South Pardee who was breaking windows with a metal rod and threatening people inside, San Diego police homicide captain Richard Freedman said. One officer fired a handgun, hitting the man. Another officer deployed a Taser and another also deployed a bean bag.
Officers rendered first aid and called for paramedics, who transported the man to a hospital, where he died from his injuries. No one else was injured.
Witnesses told police the man had been staying at the home as a guest. Residents of the home said the man had woken them up early Monday, describing his behavior as “paranoid” and claiming he’d ripped a curtain rod from the window and began breaking windows and other items.
“Another reporting party stated that she heard somebody inside the house sounding like they were being tortured,” Freedman said.
When officers arrived, they got out of their vehicles and “were immediately confronted by the male that was inside the house with the metal pole,” Freedman said. “He quickly exited the house and ran at the officers.”
The incident is under investigation, according to the department. It will be reviewed by the Homicide Unit, the Internal Affairs Unit and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine if officers have any criminal liability for the shooting death.
FBI officials and the U.S. Attorney’s Office also are monitoring the investigation.