A tense afternoon standoff on a Redwood City block ended in gunfire Tuesday, after police shot a man they say had fired into a sidewalk. He was hit by officers’ munitions and later died at a nearby hospital. No other injuries were reported, officials said.
Just after 2:30 p.m., a 911 caller reported a male had discharged a firearm in the 200 block of Hazel Avenue and fled on foot. Officers set up a perimeter and used an unmanned aerial system to find the suspect, according to ABC7 Bay Area.
Police later identified the man as 48-year-old Jose Reynaldo Lombera. Officers say a contact team equipped with both less-lethal and lethal options approached Lombera, who retrieved and pointed a firearm at them; “less lethal and lethal munitions were fired,” he was struck and subdued, and officers provided immediate medical aid before he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to KPIX/CBS Bay Area. The department said the officers directly involved have been placed on administrative leave.
Neighbors describe chaotic scene
Neighbors said the quiet afternoon gave way to sirens and multiple shots as officers swept a property near Hemlock Avenue and Madrone Street. Witnesses told the Palo Alto Daily Post that someone was taken from the scene on a gurney and that streets were closed while investigators worked.
Investigation and next steps
The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, working jointly with the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office and the Redwood City Police Department, per the department’s press release. The department posted details in a press release via the Redwood City Police Department and on the DA’s website, San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
Local context
Officer-involved shootings in Redwood City routinely draw independent reviews by the county DA, which decides on potential charges after evaluating evidence. In a 2022 fatal shooting in Redwood City, prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges, according to San Jose Inside.
Anyone with information about Tuesday’s incident is asked to contact the Redwood City Police Department tip line at (650) 780-7110 or the DA’s office at (650) 363-4636. Officials said more details will be released as the investigation continues.
