Fake gun in SUV of teen killed by police

[Willowdared]

Fake gun recovered in SUV of teen killed by police

By Joe Hughes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 13, 2007

The teenage driver of an SUV who was shot and killed by San Diego police Saturday night had a fake gun on the passenger seat, authorities said yesterday.

The shooting was the fourth in about two years in which law enforcement officers fatally wounded someone who had a toy gun or replica.
It occurred about 10:45 p.m. near Pyramid and Kenwood streets in the Emerald Hills neighborhood.

San Diego police Officers Jack Pearson and Louis Galante fired service revolvers at the sport utility vehicle driven by Noe Rojas, who appeared to be reaching for a firearm, police said.

Rojas, who was 17 or 18 and from Mexico, died at a hospital of at least one gunshot wound.

A replica of a .38 snub nose revolver was recovered in the SUV, said San Diego police Capt. Mary Cornicelli.

“At the time, and in the darkness of night, the weapon was hard to distinguish, ” she said. “Obviously, in the light of day, it appears to be a toy gun.”

Cornicelli also said the officers feared being struck by the SUV. She said the SUV first hit a patrol car and then headed toward an officer before it crashed into a parked car.

During a news conference yesterday, Cornicelli said the officers initially saw a SUV run a stop sign and found the driver after he pulled into a home on Bollenbacher Street.

As officers approached on both sides, one saw what appeared to be a gun on the passenger seat and yelled to his partner, who grabbed the driver's wrists, Cornicelli said. The teen pulled his hands free, shifted the SUV into reverse and crashed into a squad car.

The SUV then was driven forward, and the officers opened fire, Cornicelli said. The SUV then struck a garage door, backed up and drove forward again, turning toward an officer before finally crashing into a parked car.

Family members have questioned police accounts that officers shot Rojas in self-defense, saying that he may have thought they were trying to deport him.

Rojas had been visiting a brother and cousin and living in Normal Heights for about a year, working in construction. Police said Rojas' immigration status was not known.

The officers have been placed on administrative leave. Pearson is an 11-year veteran, and Galante has been with the force less than two years.

Similar police shootings involving fake guns were ruled justified by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.

She has said pointing or reaching for what appears to be a firearm causes officers to fear for their safety. Officers are not required to wait to see whether the firearm is real or someone will attempt to shoot them, Dumanis said.

[JLK]

Rojas, who was 17 or 18 and from Mexico,

family saying that he may have thought they were trying to deport him.

visiting a brother and cousin and living in Normal Heights for about a year, working in construction. Police said Rojas' immigration status was not known.

just say it he is, i mean was, an illegal.
maybe they should have told him not to reach for the gun and don't hit the with the suv in mexican.

[TXPO710]

fired service revolvers .

Do they really use revolvers or is this another example of the oh so superior media?

[TXPO710]

Family members have questioned police accounts that officers shot Rojas in self-defense, saying that he may have thought they were trying to deport him.

So it ok to try and kill police and ram your vehicle into things if your afraid of being deported????

[Willowdared]

Do they really use revolvers or is this another example of the oh so superior media?

I'm not sure what the department issued weapon is - I thought it was a Sig? I'm sure they weren't "revolvers."

Our deputies just got Glocks about a year ago.

And there is always a lot hand-wringing over OIS's here...we have a kick ass DA though, and has upheld every one as justified.

Here's the first story:

By Chet Barfield
STAFF WRITER

February 12, 2007

SAN DIEGO – San Diego police shot and killed an armed 17-year-old driver during a traffic stop Saturday night in which he reportedly backed his SUV into a patrol car.

Police said officers saw the vehicle run a stop sign at Pyramid and Kenwood streets in the southeastern community of Emerald Hills about 10:45 p.m. They turned around and found the driver had pulled into a home's driveway about a block away on Bollenbacher Street.

As officers approached on both sides, one saw what appeared to be a gun on the passenger seat and yelled to his partner, who grabbed at the driver's wrists. Police said the teen pulled his hands free, shifted the SUV into reverse and crashed into the squad car. The vehicle then was driven forward and both officers opened fire.
Police said the SUV struck a garage door, backed up and drove forward again, turning toward an officer before finally crashing into a parked car.

The county Medical Examiner's Office identified the youth as Noe Rojas of Mexico. He died at the scene about 11:15 p.m.

Rojas apparently had been visiting a brother and cousin who live a few blocks from the shooting. At the house yesterday, the wife of one of Rojas' cousins said the teen has been living in San Diego's Normal Heights area for about a year, working construction.

The in-law, Zamaida Lopez, 19, said Rojas briefly stopped by his relatives' Pyramid Street home Saturday night. He may have been intoxicated, Lopez said, adding she didn't know whether he owned a weapon.

Lopez said her in-laws heard about the shooting from neighbors, but police at the scene would not let the teen's brother, Israel Rojas, see or go near him. Yesterday afternoon, she said the grieving family still knew little about how or why Rojas was killed.

Kid had a pretty nice ride for an 18 year old - I wonder what he used that fake gun for???

[10-42Adam]

If you're going to carry around a realistic fake gun, you better expect others to treat it like a real one!

[Star Man]

If you're going to carry around a realistic fake gun, you better expect others to treat it like a real one!

ABSOLUTELY!!!!