CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — Video captured by neighbors shows the tense moments leading up to officers shooting at a man in Chula Vista on Saturday.
Police say he is not expected to survive and he is believed to be homeless.
Just before 8 p.m. on Saturday, neighbors at the Villa Marina Apartments near Moss St. and Broadway called to report two people, who appeared homeless, shouting and banging on doors.
When officers arrived, they found one man holding another man hostage with a knife at his throat. The suspect refused to drop the knife and police opened fire. The hostage survived.
“The cops negotiated with the man for a good amount of time before they realized there was no other option,” said Samuel Iriarry, a neighbor who saw the incident from his apartment.
RELATED: Chula Vista Police shoot man accused of holding homeless man hostage with knife
ABC 10News returned to the neighborhood and spoke with several eyewitnesses who say homeless-related crime in that apartment complex is on the rise in part, due to a vacant property next door.
“It’s a huge warehouse…it’s tagged up. Homeless sneak in there. I hear parties in there constantly,” said Iriarry.
“They come over here and steal our clothes. They steal off our balconies. They break into our cars,” said Jamie Mefford. “It’s scary I got my wife and family here.”
Neighbors say they hope city officials examine the greater problem in the area.
“Homeless people are easy targets to dislike. But it’s more of a system failure,” said Iriarry.
ABC 10 news asked Chula Vista police about the adjacent vacant property. They said they have received reports of trespassing in the past. They added their Homeless Outreach team will be following up after our inquiry.
