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| Man in El Cajon, Calif., Is Fatally Shot During Confrontation With Police | Man in El Cajon, Calif., Is Fatally Shot During Confrontation With Police |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A black man who was walking in traffic in El Cajon, Calif., on Tuesday and who a caller described as acting erratically was fatally shot by a police officer after he pointed an object at the officers, the police said. | |
| At a news conference Tuesday night, Chief Jeff Davis of the El Cajon police said that two officers had responded to reports of an African-American man in his 30s “walking in traffic, not only endangering himself but also motorists.” | At a news conference Tuesday night, Chief Jeff Davis of the El Cajon police said that two officers had responded to reports of an African-American man in his 30s “walking in traffic, not only endangering himself but also motorists.” |
| At least one of those reports was made by a woman who identified herself as the man’s sister, Chief Davis said, though he added that the police could not confirm her identity as she was not cooperating with them. She said that the man was mentally ill and that he was not armed, the chief said. | At least one of those reports was made by a woman who identified herself as the man’s sister, Chief Davis said, though he added that the police could not confirm her identity as she was not cooperating with them. She said that the man was mentally ill and that he was not armed, the chief said. |
| A first officer arrived near the Broadway Village Shopping Center in the north-central section of the city shortly after 2 p.m., the police said. | A first officer arrived near the Broadway Village Shopping Center in the north-central section of the city shortly after 2 p.m., the police said. |
| As that officer confronted the man behind a local restaurant, the man “concealed his hand in his pants pocket,” Chief Davis said, and refused to comply, leading the officer to draw a gun. A second officer arrived on the scene. The man continued to be uncooperative, so the second officer prepared to use a Taser on him, Chief Davis said. | As that officer confronted the man behind a local restaurant, the man “concealed his hand in his pants pocket,” Chief Davis said, and refused to comply, leading the officer to draw a gun. A second officer arrived on the scene. The man continued to be uncooperative, so the second officer prepared to use a Taser on him, Chief Davis said. |
| Soon after, Chief Davis said, the man quickly pulled an object from his pocket and took “what appeared to be a shooting stance,” leading the two officers to act simultaneously. One discharged his Taser, while the other fired his gun, the chief said. | Soon after, Chief Davis said, the man quickly pulled an object from his pocket and took “what appeared to be a shooting stance,” leading the two officers to act simultaneously. One discharged his Taser, while the other fired his gun, the chief said. |
| The police confirmed the man’s death in a statement but did not release his name. The statement said the officers involved had been placed on administrative leave, which is standard policy after such encounters. | The police confirmed the man’s death in a statement but did not release his name. The statement said the officers involved had been placed on administrative leave, which is standard policy after such encounters. |
| The shooting in El Cajon, a city of more than 100,000 about 15 miles from San Diego, came after recent fatal police shootings of black men in Tulsa, Okla., and Charlotte, N.C., that heightened tensions across the nation. In El Cajon on Tuesday, a few dozen protesters began demonstrating shortly after the man was shot. | The shooting in El Cajon, a city of more than 100,000 about 15 miles from San Diego, came after recent fatal police shootings of black men in Tulsa, Okla., and Charlotte, N.C., that heightened tensions across the nation. In El Cajon on Tuesday, a few dozen protesters began demonstrating shortly after the man was shot. |
| Witnesses interviewed by local reporters were irate, insisting that the man had been unarmed when officers shot him. | Witnesses interviewed by local reporters were irate, insisting that the man had been unarmed when officers shot him. |
| Michael Rodriguez, who said he had witnessed the shooting, told reporters that he had left a nearby apartment when he saw police officers with their guns out surrounding a black man. | Michael Rodriguez, who said he had witnessed the shooting, told reporters that he had left a nearby apartment when he saw police officers with their guns out surrounding a black man. |
| He said that the man had his hands up and was “scared to death.” | He said that the man had his hands up and was “scared to death.” |
| “He’s jerking, he’s confused, he runs this way, and as soon as he runs this way, they discharge,” Mr. Rodriguez said. | “He’s jerking, he’s confused, he runs this way, and as soon as he runs this way, they discharge,” Mr. Rodriguez said. |
| The police disputed such accounts, saying on Twitter that “based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did not have his hands up in the air.” | The police disputed such accounts, saying on Twitter that “based on the video voluntarily provided by a witness, the subject did not have his hands up in the air.” |
| Local reports quoted some witnesses as saying that police officers had taken cellphones away from witnesses after the shooting, prompting the San Diego branch of the American Civil Liberties Union to issue a statement saying that “by seizing phones, police would likely be preventing the dissemination of video captured by bystanders.” | Local reports quoted some witnesses as saying that police officers had taken cellphones away from witnesses after the shooting, prompting the San Diego branch of the American Civil Liberties Union to issue a statement saying that “by seizing phones, police would likely be preventing the dissemination of video captured by bystanders.” |
| But Chief Davis and Lt. Rob Ransweiler, a spokesman for the El Cajon Police Department, strongly denied those reports, saying that a phone that contained a video had been volunteered by a witness, and that no phones had been confiscated. | But Chief Davis and Lt. Rob Ransweiler, a spokesman for the El Cajon Police Department, strongly denied those reports, saying that a phone that contained a video had been volunteered by a witness, and that no phones had been confiscated. |
| “I’m sure at some point in time that video will become public,” Lieutenant Ransweiler said. | “I’m sure at some point in time that video will become public,” Lieutenant Ransweiler said. |