Man Shoots into Home of Sheriff's Sergeant

**Willowdared** · 09-13-08, 02:31 PM

Officers shoot and kill man brandishing gun in San Carlos

By Mark Arner and Kristina Davis
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
10:26 a.m. September 13, 2008
SAN DIEGO – San Diego police officers shot and killed a man Friday night shortly after he fired a gun into the home of an off-duty sheriff's sergeant in San Carlos.
The county Medical Examiner's Office identified the gunman as Joseph Giordano, 65.

The incident began about 9:20 p.m. when Giordano walked to the home of the sheriff's sergeant on Lake Atlin Avenue, said San Diego police Capt. Jim Collins.

He knocked on the door and the sergeant answered. The sergeant slammed the door shut when he noticed that Giordano appeared to be carrying a gun, Collins said. Giordano fired one shot into the door and two into a window. No one was hit.

Giordano fled in a dark-colored mini van, which San Diego police officers found parked one block away on nearby Lake Ariana Avenue.

Officers surrounded Giordano's home and, unable to talk to him by telephone, used a bullhorn to order him to come out of the dwelling.

When Giordano emerged 30 minutes later, he was holding a gun, Collins said. Officers told him to drop the weapon, but he pointed it at them and fired.

“Fearing for their lives or the lives of others, multiple police officers returned fire on the suspect,” said San Diego homicide Lt. Terry McManus.

Giordano was struck several times and died at the scene. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.

Authorities did not release the name of the sheriff's sergeant or the six officers who fired their weapons.

Collins said Giordano and the sergeant had an altercation in recent days.

Giordano and his wife had gone to the sergeant's house, and Giordano seemed to have been drinking, Collins said. The sergeant detained Giordano until San Diego police arrived and escorted him and his wife back to their home.

Collins didn't know why the couple went to the sergeant's house.

Giordano's wife was home at the time of the shooting Friday night.