SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A man holding a knife was shot and killed by officers during a confrontation in the Nestor area late Sunday night.
The incident occurred shortly before 11 p.m. near Hollister Street and Tocayo Avenue, according to San Diego police.
Police said they received multiple 911 calls from residents who said a man, later identified as 42-year-old Raul Rivera, was threatening people with a knife. Some residents told 10News the knife-wielding man was moving around in circles and acting “frantic” and “scared.”
10News learned some neighbors flagged down Border Patrol agents who happened to be in the area. The agents tried to diffuse the situation before San Diego police officers arrived.
Police said when officers arrived, they attempted non-lethal methods such as shooting Rivera with bean bags and using a stun gun to subdue him after he refused to comply with their orders to drop the knife.
Police said three officers opened fire when Rivera refused to drop his weapon and “advanced on the officers with the knife pointed at them.” According to police, the officers fired their weapons because they feared for their safety.
Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. The exact number of shots fired and how many times he was hit remains unknown.
Cell phone video shown to 10News appears to show the man gesturing at the officers and then numerous gunshots are heard.
10News learned police are planning to review officers’ body camera footage as part of the investigation. The officers involved in the shooting were William Carter Torres, a one-year veteran; Michael Martinez, a two-year veteran; and Samuel Rodriguez, a six-year veteran. All three are assigned to SDPD's Southern Division.
Several residents said they were upset with how law enforcement officers handled the situation.
A witness, who provided 10News with cell phone video of the incident, didn't want to be identified, but says the public should not jump to conclusions about the shooting. The witness emphasized that police were dealing with an armed man used many non-lethal tactics to subdue the man before ultimately choosing to shoot and defend themselves.
