SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department has released body camera and cell phone footage of the shootout between its officers and a suspect who had killed a married couple in downtown San Diego on Nov. 13.
Harbor PD officers were looking for the gunman, Christopher Farrell, after he shot and killed Rachael Martinez and Jose Medina inside their car near the courthouse in the 1300 block of Union Street. The gunfight happened when the officers located Farrell as he hid behind an electrical box in the 900 block of West Juniper St. in Little Italy.
In the video Harbor PD released, body camera footage from multiple officers at different sides of the scene is shown, as well as several different witnesses' cell phone footage showing various angles of the shootout.
The body cams didn't show a clear view of Farrell, but the cell phone videos clearly show him pointing a gun at the officers.
Officers ordered Farrell to put his gun down multiple times, but he refused to comply. Harbor PD says the shootout happened one minute and 13 seconds after officers first addressed Farrell.
The suspect fired his gun multiple times, hitting Officer Patrick Lynch in the thigh. Two other officers returned fire, forcing Farrell to fall by the electrical box.
Officers noticed Farrell was breathing and his gun was within reach, so they approached him using a ballistic shield and got the gun away from him, according to Harbor PD. Farrell was taken to a hospital in the area, where he was later pronounced dead.
One of the cell phone videos shows Lynch hit the ground after he was shot.
A few days after the shooting, Lynch was recovering at home with his family.
In accordance with county protocol requiring another agency to look into officer-involved shootings, the San Diego Police Department is the lead agency on this case. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office will review the investigation.
Harbor PD says it will run its own administrative investigation into the officers' use of force.
You can watch the video in the video player below or by following this link.
WARNING: This video is graphic in nature and not suitable for all viewers.
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