By David Hernandez
The San Diego Union-Tribune
SAN DIEGO — San Diego police on Thursday released the name of an officer who fatally shot a man they said was armed with a metal rod when he charged at officers outside a home in Mountain View earlier this week.
Police also released the name of the man: Jose Alfredo Castro-Gutierrez, 39.
Officer Isai Castillo shot Castro-Gutierrez about 4:25 a.m. Monday outside a home on Pardee Street, south of Webster Avenue, police Lt. Matt Dobbs said. Castillo has been on the San Diego police force for two years.
Police said a resident called 911 after Castro-Gutierrez, a guest in the home, woke up the residents, who described him as paranoid. He ripped a metal curtain rod from a window and used it to smash windows and items, Dobbs said.
A neighbor also called 911, saying the commotion sounded like someone was being tortured.
Officers parked a short distance away and gathered resources, including a police dog and less-lethal weapons. When officers approached the residence, they saw Castro-Gutierrez through a front window and heard him yelling and smashing windows. He didn’t respond to officers’ commands, delivered in English and Spanish, Dobbs said.
As officers took cover in hopes of negotiating with Castro-Gutierrez, he suddenly crawled through a broken window and ran “full speed” toward the officers, holding the metal rod, Dobbs said.
Castillo fired his gun multiple times. Another officer fired a bean-bag round, and a third fired a Taser.
Castro-Gutierrez was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The deadly encounter marked the 10th shooting by San Diego police this year. Six were fatal.
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