A man suspected of being in a restricted area at Otay Mesa Port of Entry was shot by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer after he reportedly advanced on the officer with a screwdriver. The incident, which took place yesterday morning, resulted in non-life-threatening injuries for the suspect, who is now facing federal charges, as reported by the City of San Diego.
According to the San Diego Police Department's report, the altercation occurred when a supervisory CBP officer with 22 years of experience encountered the male suspect in an off-limits pedestrian area of the port. The suspect, believed to be a Hispanic male in his 20s, allegedly refused to comply with the officer's commands to stop and disarm, prompting the officer to shoot multiple times. In addition to the suspect, a CBP pickup truck was also hit by gunfire, San Diego's official website reports.
The San Diego Police Communications Center received notice of the officer-involved shooting around 10:18 a.m., shortly after which the department's Homicide Unit was dispatched to initiate an investigation. The suspect has been taken into custody and is currently under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations for assault on a federal officer.
The CBP officer's name has not been released, as is typical procedure in these cases, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Once the Homicide Unit concludes its investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office will review the case to determine if the officer involved in the shooting has any criminal liability.
The San Diego Police Department is seeking assistance from anyone who may have information related to this shooting. They have urged witnesses to contact the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
