Man Brawls with Chula Vista Cops, Ends up Dead

[Willowdared]

By Karen Kucher and Greg Gross
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM
7:56 a.m. August 3, 2007

CHULA VISTA – Police officers who came across a man lying in a parking lot at near the South Bay Courthouse late Thursday night ended up shooting and killing him after he fought violently with them, authorities said.

Two officers were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and one remained hospitalized Friday morning.

The names of dead man and those of the officers who shot him were not immediately disclosed.

The incident began shortly before midnight Thursday in the parking lot of the South County Regional Center, which houses the courthouse and other county offices, at Third Avenue and H Street.

An officer driving through the lot on his way to the center's fueling station found a man lying on the asphalt, according to a statement released by police spokesman Bernard Gonzales.

A second officer arrived and the two questioned the man together. They found him to be coherent and told him to leave, then both continued to the fueling station, Gonzales said.

But instead of leaving, the man laid down on the pavement again, Gonzales said. The officers returned and told him to leave or face arrest. That's when he began fighting, the spokesman said.

One officer fired a Taser into the man, but the electric stun gun had little effect, Gonzales said.

Chula Vista investigations Lt. Gary Ficacci said the officers, who had initially contacted the man because they were concerned for his welfare, then became involved in “a very violent, physical fight” with the man, who was unarmed.

“They used their Tasers on him. They were ineffective,” Ficacci said. “They tried control holds, other defensive tactics. None of those were effective.” By the time a third officer arrived, the man had already knocked down one officer and was fighting with the second. Gonzales said that officer drew his pistol and ordered the man to stop.

At one point, one officer was backed up to his patrol car, where the man continued to attack him, Ficacci said.
That officer feared for his safety and shot at the man. A second officer also fired at the man, Ficacci said.

Officers gave the man first aid and called paramedics, but he died in the parking lot, Gonzales said.

Ficacci said the man who was killed was black, appeared to be in his 30s and weighed about 250 pounds. He said the man was not carrying identification, and investigators hope that they will be able to identify him from his fingerprints.

The three officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is routine after officer-involved shootings. One officer has been on the force for one year, a second has about two years experience and the third has been on the force for eight years, Ficacci said.

The officer who remained hospitalized Friday morning was being treated for head wounds he received during the fight, Ficacci said.

Early Friday morning, police towed away the patrol car on which the man and officer had been fighting. The car, which appeared to have smear marks on its hood, was being taken to a garage to be processed for any evidence, Ficacci said.

The yellow police tape was removed and the courthouse parking lot was opened to the public shortly before 7 a.m.

[jato]

I was an Explorer and Reserve Officer for CVPD. As a Deputy Sheriff, I also worked at South Bay Jail which is under the South Bay Courthouse.

One officer fired a Taser into the man, but the electric stun gun had little effect, Gonzales said.

I am not surprised. The Taser has failed to stop people several times at my station.

[Cheech]

Moral of this story....
Dont fight the cops.

[BigDawg]

Ficacci said the man who was killed was black, appeared to be in his 30s and weighed about 250 pounds.


Im sure the Liberal pansy waists will come out of the wood work to protest this fact soon. Probably grandstanding and saying the "Police should have just left the poor man alone." Or maybe that; "The Police should have called more help instead of shooting him, this is a clear case of Police brutality against the black man!"


Just my cynical .02 worth.


Prayers to the Officers for a quick recovery, both physically and mentally.

[Star Man]

Ficacci said the man who was killed was black, appeared to be in his 30s and weighed about 250 pounds.


Im sure the Liberal pansy waists will come out of the wood work to protest this fact soon. Probably grandstanding and saying the "Police should have just left the poor man alone." Or maybe that; "The Police should have called more help instead of shooting him, this is a clear case of Police brutality against the black man!"


Just my cynical .02 worth.


Prayers to the Officers for a quick recovery, both physically and mentally.

+1

[Norm357]

It sure sux to be "that guy".

[Ianl6]

It sounds like the officers tried every other way to stop this guy it was unfortunate it had to end this way hope the injured officers are ok.