LEMON GROVE, Calif. — The man shot by sheriff’s deputies Saturday night at an East County fast food restaurant has died, it was announced Sunday.
The shooting happened at a Lemon Grove Del Taco on Broadway Avenue near State Route 94. A family at the restaurant called 911 saying a man with a gun was threatening them around 8:30 p.m. When deputies arrived at the scene, “the suspect confronted them,” and deputies shot him, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.
Watch Commander: @SDSOLemonGrove Deputy-Involved Shooting Update 1/2: A family inside a Del Taco called 9-1-1 to report a man with a gun was threatening them. When deputies arrived, the suspect confronted them, leading to a shooting.
— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) January 6, 2019
The man was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital where he died from his injuries, said Lt. Rich Williams. “It appears all three of the deputies who contacted the armed suspect fired their handguns in response to the threat,” he said. “None of the deputies were injured.”
Williams said the deputies who fired their weapons will be placed on paid leave during the investigation, a standard procedure in shootings involving deputies. The man’s identity will be released after an autopsy and his family is notified, Williams added.
The Sheriff’s Homicide Unit asked anyone with information regarding the incident to call them at (858) 285-6330.
