A deputy-involved shooting in National City has resulted in the death of a man following a confrontation with a San Diego Sheriff's detective yesterday. The incident began with a traffic stop involving a white Acura and escalated when a male passenger fled the scene, leading to an exchange of gunfire. As relayed by the San Diego Sheriff's Office, a firearm was recovered from the immediate vicinity of the deceased.
According to the initial account of the events, the traffic stop occurred around 1:22 p.m. on the 200 block of Mile of Cars Way. After one man exited the vehicle and ran, the two remaining occupants were detained, and assistance was sought from the National City Police Department. A local citizen then alerted a detective to the suspect's presence in a tow truck at a Dodge dealership. The detective, supported by a motorcycle officer, approached the vehicle when the suspect reportedly fired at him, causing minor injuries from broken glass. The detective returned fire, fatally wounding the man.
The identity of the man killed has not been disclosed, but he has been described as light-skinned. The detective, a 35-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office currently assigned to the East County Regional Gang Task Force, received hospital treatment for his injuries. The San Diego Sheriff's Office maintains a thorough investigation, including witness interviews and evidence collection, is underway.
#UPDATE Here is the news release issued by @SanDiegoPD regarding the deputy-involved shooting in National City on Friday, September 27. The San Diego Police Department is conducting the investigation per a Countywide Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022.… pic.twitter.com/G1ZAl6TsHD
— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) September 28, 2024
The review process for an officer-involved shooting of this nature is detailed and comprehensive. A local hospital provided medical attention for the detective and released him following treatment for minor injuries. Once the San Diego Police Homicide Unit concludes its investigation, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office will assess if the detective bears any criminal liability. Additional oversight will be provided internally by the Sheriff's Office, and monitoring will be done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney's Office.
Authorities are calling for public assistance in the ongoing investigation. Anyone possessing information about the incident is encouraged to contact the San Diego Police Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or to submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
