By Caleb Lunetta
The San Diego Union-Tribune
SAN DIEGO — Body-worn camera footage released Tuesday shows a sheriff’s detective fatally shoot a 46-year-old man who opened fire on the investigator at close range in a National City car dealership.
Sheriff’s Detective Douglas Akers killed Gene Stewart, 46, of Lakeside, in a Dodge dealership lot on Mile of Cars Way and Hoover Avenue on Sept. 27. Stewart died at the scene. The detective suffered cuts from broken glass, but the wounds were minor.
The edited video released this week contains text from the sheriff’s office and images from the dealership’s security cameras and body-worn camera.
The sheriff’s office video begins by showing body-worn camera footage from a deputy who was working with other law enforcement agencies in the area investigating drug activity in National City, according to text in the video.
The camera footage shows the deputy, who was riding as a passenger in a sheriff’s vehicle, pull up behind an Acura sedan during a traffic stop on Mile of Cars Way around 1:20 p.m. Before the deputy has exited the vehicle, a passenger in the Acura, later identified as Stewart, is shown running away.
The Acura’s driver — a 29-year-old man — and a passenger in the backseat — a 36-year-old woman — were quickly arrested on suspicion of drug-related charges and felons in possession of body armor.
The video then cuts to security camera footage showing Stewart walking through the dealership parking lot after running away from the deputies. He then hops into a tow truck parked on the lot.
Akers’ body-camera footage is then shown. A witness tells Akers — who had arrived to help search for the suspect — that he saw the fleeing man hop into the tow truck.
The detective is heard on the body-worn camera footage confirming to dispatchers that he found Stewart in a tow truck he is standing a few feet behind. A National City police officer then walks up, and the two devise a plan on how to approach the suspect.
Akers approaches the truck — with Stewart sitting inside the cab — from the passenger side. The officer moves from the driver’s side.
Akers eventually reaches the door and knocks.
“Just show me your hands right now. Sheriff’s Depart…” Akers says before his voice is cut off by the sound of gunfire. According to text in the video, Stewart allegedly fired one round through the passenger side window.
The detective quickly backs up and opens fire, shooting multiple rounds in Stewart’s direction. The man slowly opens the tow truck door while the detective continues to strike him with gunfire.
A slow-motion portion of the video shows what appears to be a gun Stewart is holding close to his chest as he exits the vehicle. He immediately falls to the ground and begins yelling in agony.
The video says a gun was found near the suspect’s body. A photo of the gun appears to show the handgun’s slide jammed after he took his first shot.
Akers has been with the sheriff’s office for about 35 years. He is assigned to the East County Regional Gang Task Force.
The San Diego Police Department is handling the investigation under a countywide protocol designed to prevent departments from investigating shootings by their own officers or deputies.
When the Police Department completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the county district attorney’s office to determine if Akers bears any criminal liability.
The sheriff’s office will conduct an administrative investigation into the detective’s discharge of his firearm. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will also monitor the investigations.
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