Authorities Friday publicly identified a man who was fatally shot by San Diego police and released video footage of what police said was a shootout in front of a Southcrest-area street taco shop.
Derrick Weatherspoon, 33, opened fire on two officers about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday while fleeing in the roadway in the 1100 block of South 43rd Street, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Both police officers returned fire, killing Weatherspoon. They were identified Monday as Freddy Alexander Najera-Arredondo and Justin Morrison, both three-year veterans of the force working in the Southeastern division. The officers were placed on administrative duty while the investigation is ongoing.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the incident per a new policy meant to prevent law enforcement agencies from investigating their own shootings, has confirmed at least one gunshot was fired.
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Shell casings and a glock-style semi-automatic handgun were found with the man, Lt. Chris Steffen said. Several shell casings appear to belong to the suspect's firearm. It was not immediately clear how many shots were fired by the suspect or the officers.
No one else was injured.
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In their first detailing of the events of that night, the San Diego Police said they were first called around 5:30 p.m. by someone who reported seeing a man "waving a gun around" in a church parking lot in the 4000 block of National Avenue, police alleged.
A short time later, an employee of a nearby Chinese-food restaurant on South 43rd Street reported seeing a similar-looking man "acting strangely" and dropping a pistol to the floor inside the business, then picking it back up, police reported in the statement released via video.
Minutes later, a third caller reported seeing the armed man at a Mexican-food restaurant in the same immediate area, "acting very creepy" and sitting in a dining area with a gun on the table in front of him, covered by a bandana, according to SDPD.
When the pair of officers arrived a short time later, the suspect was walking out of the taco shop. Police said before the officers could get out of their cruiser, Weatherspoon opened fire on them with a .22-caliber pistol. SDSO has not confirmed the type of weapon found at the scene.
A witness near the scene said they heard at least seven to eight shots before officers shouted "drop your weapon."
Video footage shot by one of the officers' uniform-worn cameras shows the shirtless suspect running down the middle of the street while turning back toward them, clutching what appears to be a gun that repeatedly emits puffs of gray smoke.
As the officers returned fire, the driver's side window of the police car shattered. A moment later, Weatherspoon collapsed face-first in a traffic lane.
"Mr. Weatherspoon went to the ground and continued to hold the handgun in his right hand, which prevented officers from (immediately) approaching him and rendering first aid," according to the police statement.
The suspect died at the scene.
Police have identified the officers involved in the shootout only by their last names, Morrison and Najera-Arredondo. The camera that recorded the video footage released by the SDPD was worn by Najera-Arredondo.
