Man shot, killed by officer in Chula Vista

CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A man was shot and killed Sunday in Chula Vista after he reportedly refused to stop approaching an officer while holding a knife, the San Diego Police Department announced.

Around 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Chula Vista Police Department responded to reports of a man hitting a woman, who was screaming for help, in the 1100 block of Broadway, said a new release from SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki.

The man was also reported by callers to have been walking with a wheelchair in his hand and hitting vehicles in the shopping center parking lot.

A CVPD canine officer located the man in the parking lot, standing near a pickup truck, when the officer noticed the man was holding a knife, Sharki said.

The officer gave the man commands to drop the knife, but the man refused and climbed into the bed of the pickup truck and started hitting the back windows of the vehicle, according to police. It was later determined the truck did not belong to the man.

The man then jumped out of the truck and began approaching the officer with the knife in hand, ignoring commands from the officer to stop, Sharki said. At that point, police said the officer fired his service weapon at the man, hitting him multiple times.

Officers attempted life-saving measure on the man until paramedics could arrive, but the man ultimately pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting, Sharki said.

The pickup truck was also hit by several bullets.

Authorities did not publicly release the identity of the man who was shot, but noted he was a 32-year-old Chula Vista resident.

The officer who shot the man has been with CVPD for five years, where he is currently assigned as a canine handler, according to police. No officers were reported injured during the incident

The shooting took place outside a Walmart store where CVPD is scheduled to host their annual holiday meal and toy giveaway Monday. The event is expected to continue as planned, with no expected disruptions to the shooting investigation, CVPD Sgt. Anthony Molina told FOX 5.

Anyone with information on this incident was asked to call SDPD’s homicide unit at 619-531-2293 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.