San Diego police shot and killed a man inside a truck at 26th and E streets, shutting down that area for hours. NBC 7’s Shelby Bremer spoke with neighbors to piece together what happened.
San Diego police fatally shot a man Monday following a vehicle pursuit from San Ysidro to a San Diego neighborhood just south of Balboa Park.
The deadly shooting occurred shortly before 4 p.m. in the 800 block of 26th Street, near E Street in Golden Hill, according to San Diego police.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the shooting, said the incident began when San Diego Police were notified of a person with "a partially concealed rifle in his jacket" near Sanger Place in San Ysidro.
According to SDSO's investigation, the suspect -- who has not yet been identified -- swapped the rifle for a handgun before getting into an argument with a bicyclist, whom he then shot toward by firing a round into the ground.
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San Diego police called in a SWAT team, a K-9 unit and less-lethal resources. When they arrived at the scene, the suspect, described as a man in his 30s or 40s, took off in a white Ford F-150.
Deputies said it was a 30-minute police chase up Interstate 5 and Interstate 15, with the man sometimes stopping, before the pursuit ended in Golden Hill with a crash into an SDPD vehicle and a resident's front yard.
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Police shot the man after he reversed into a K-9 unit squad car and was boxed in by another police vehicle, according to an SDSO spokesperson.
"The suspect vehicle revved up his engine, and the party vehicle placed their vehicle behind the suspect and fired. Two officers fired multiple rounds, striking the subject," SDSO Lt. Juan Marquez said.
The man was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m., Marquez said.
Sheriff's investigators said they don't believe the suspect shot at police but it's still under investigation. A rifle and handgun were recovered from the truck.
Deputies say the only officer injured was a K-9 officer who was hurt when his airbag deployed. The officer was hospitalized but is expected to recover, SDSO said.
As gunshots rang out and police cars screamed down 26th Street, Daniel Lopez ran out of his house with his cell phone camera recording. He captured the smoke and chaos after deputies say the suspect, who had a rifle and pistol in his truck, crashed into part of someone's house. Lopez also filmed the moment police shot him dead.
"It was a lot to take in because like hearing the gunshots. I didn't know if they were aiming towards my side of the street or not, so I was trying to take cover," Lopez said.
It was a tense situation that has people in Golden Hill second-guessing their surroundings.
"We're trying to find another place to live now," Lopez said. "We're concerned more for our safety now. Because it was a good neighborhood when we first moved in here, but after a lot of the crime that's been rising up here, it's getting concerning for us now."
