Family members say Ibarra is brain dead after being shot by police in downtown. NBC 7’s Niala Charles has more.
The San Diego Police Department has released body-worn camera and surveillance footage of the moment a man was shot by two officers after police say he pointed a gun at them in downtown on Saturday.
Officers saw Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra, 25, at around 5:47 p.m. coming out of an entryway in the area of 1200 6th Avenue. He reportedly had distinctive tattoos on his face that matched a wanted poster for a June 21 robbery.
Video released by SDPD shows footage from a security camera, a smart streetlight camera, and two body-worn cameras -- four sources in total. The interaction lasts about 20 seconds from the moment Ibarra stepped out of the entryway to the moment he was shot.
The body-worn camera on the officer in the passenger seat is silent for the first two minutes as the officers are seen driving in downtown San Diego.
In the video, the officer exits the vehicle and says to Ibarra, "Hey man, let me talk to you for a second. Stop. Stop."
While the officer begins approaching him, Ibarra walks away and the officer says, "Stop, let me see your hands."
Police said that as he was walking, he dropped a bag of items from his hands and began to reach into his waistband. He then turned toward the officer on the street and pointed a gun directly at the officer, SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs said.
In the video a moment later, multiple shots are fired and Ibarra drops to the ground. Both officers shot at him, hitting him at least once, according to police.
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Body-worn camera footage from the officer driving shows the officer exit the vehicle and approach Ibarra from the street. Once the officer gets out of his car, he runs parallel to Ibarra separated by two black vehicles.
“Let me see your hands,” he shouts.
Police said Ibarra pointed a gun at the officer and that's when police fired multiple shots.
“Shots fired, shots fired. 530 B street,” the officer says over his radio while approaching Ibarra. “San Diego Police, let me see your hands."
The officers reach Ibarra and handcuff him before performing CPR. A camouflage bandana is shown sitting next to Ibarra's right hand.
The video then shows a couple still images from the security camera and body-worn camera videos where police detail how Ibarra drops his items, reaches into his waistband and then points the reported revolver at an officer.
He was taken to a local hospital for surgery. On Sunday, police said he remained in the intensive care unit with life-threatening injuries. No officers were injured.
Ibarra's family told NBC 7 he was brain dead with a small chance of survival on Sunday evening. They also claimed Ibarra was shot 11 times, at least once in the head.
A gun was recovered in the area, according to police. In police-provided images, a revolver appeared to be wrapped in camouflage fabric.
"It is not known at this time if the man fired at the officers," SDPD Capt. Richard Freedman with the Homicide Unit said on Saturday night.
Ibarra's family said despite the video, they wanted people to know about him as a person.
“He always laughed and smiled and he just made everyone happy around him,” said Gabriela Gudino, the mother of two of Ibarra’s three young children.
Some of Ibarra's family and friends said they thought officers used excessive force.
“He was a good guy and honestly it hurts,” said Damian Lora, Ibarra’s brother-in-law. "I get it -- one, two, but 11 times? I think that's not right."
The SDPD Homicide Unit and the FBI were investigating the incident.
A review will be done by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. The Community Review Board on Police Practices will also conduct a review of the incident and provide any appropriate recommendations, according to the department.
The officers involved will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation. Their names are not being released at this time, Freedman said.
Regarding the alleged robbery involving a suspect matching Ibarra's appearance, Freedman said more details would be released but preliminary information indicated a suspect struck someone and stole some property.
