San Diego police shot and killed a man who officers say was threatening others with a gun. It all started just after noon at a home on a cul-de-sac off Angelique Street. NBC 7’s Dave Summers has more on this frightening day from Scripps Ranch.
A man who was holding a pistol in a Scripps Ranch neighborhood, prompting a large police presence on Tuesday, was shot and killed after a standoff, San Diego police said.
The 59-year-old man, wearing what appeared to be a T-shirt and jeans, stood barefoot at the end of a cul-de-sac at Angelique Street and Little Silver Court for quite some time, wearing some sort of headphones or earmuffs, and, officials said, aimed his weapon at people in the area.
Around 4 p.m., Lt. Patrick Fox with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, which, under a cross-departmental agreement, is investigating the shooting by officers from San Diego police, offered an update on the incident, which was first reported to 911 operations at 12:09 p.m.
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"One of the reporting parties stated that the suspect had been pointing a semi-automatic firearm at construction workers," Fox said. "The construction workers feared for their safety, so they retreated out of the area."
The man also pointed a firearm at a pest-control worker, identified earlier by SDPD as an Orkin employee, and that man hid in the back of his work van for his safety, according to Fox.
"San Diego PD gave numerous commands to the suspect, but the suspect did not follow any of their commands," Fox told the media.
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SDPD then called out its SWAT team and, while waiting for them to arrive, an emergency negotiation team arrived at the scene, followed shortly after by SWAT.
"As SWAT was attempting to evacuate victims from the area, the suspect approached the officers with a firearm," Fox said. "During that encounter, an officer-involved shooting occurred where two SWAT officers [fired their weapons]. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene."
The man was shot at 1:05 p.m., according to Fox.
SDSO said no officers had been injured.
According to the sheriff's department, both of the officers involved in the shooting are SWAT snipers. One has been with the San Diego Police Department for about 17 years, while the other officer has been with the SDPD for approximately 10 years.
Fox said the investigation was still in early stages and officials had not yet determined if there was a precipitating event or if there was a mental-illness component to the incident involving the man, who, Fox said, is not believed to have fired any shots.
The sheriff's department spokesman said he didn't believe the shooting victim's family had been contacted yet, and, as a result, officials have yet to identify him.
After taking a question from a reporter, Fox told the media that investigators found a knife on the man's body after he was killed. A handgun was also recovered near the man at the scene.
The news conference then concluded abruptly after Fox, who said he was feeling light-headed, appeared to faint before being cared for by others at the scene.
NBC 7 spoke with neighbors who said the shooting reminded them of another involving that injured local TV sports anchor Kyle Kraska, which happened nearby in the same Scripps Ranch neighborhood.
"I pulled up next to [the scene], took some photos and called police, and now my truck is in the middle of the crime scene," said Michael, who asked NBC 7 not to use his surname. "It brings me back to the Kyle Kraska shooting, which happened around the corner, which was five years ago or so."
Some neighbors were evacuated, while others were told to shelter in place. Setareh Najafian missed a barbeque lunch with her son at school.
"I was scared at home by myself. I was afraid somebody might come in," Najafian said.
Check back here for updates on this breaking news story — Ed.
