Aromas
– The Monterey County District Attorney’s office cleared three
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deputies of any wrongdoing Tuesday
in the shooting death of a mentally ill Aromas man in June.
Aromas – The Monterey County District Attorney’s office cleared three Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deputies of any wrongdoing Tuesday in the shooting death of a mentally ill Aromas man in June.
Monterey District Attorney Dean Flippo concluded that the dep-uties had act-ed in self-defense in the June shooting of Gene Vel-asquez, 44, according to the district attorney’s press release. The findings were also supported by several eyewitnesses who “opined that the deputies acted appropriately under the circumstances,” the press release stated.
Undersheriff Nancy Cuff-ney said the findings provided closure.
“The necessary and justified actions of the deputies affects all involved,” Cuffney said. “The Sheriff’s Office welcomes the District Attorney’s findings as they are part of the legal process in bringing closure to this unfortunate event.”
Velasquez was shot four times. An autopsy showed Velasquez died of a gunshot wound to the heart, the press release stated. Toxicology reports for Velasquez were clear, according to Monterey County Coroner’s officials.
Deputies arrived in Aromas around 3pm after receiving a call that two San Benito County Child Protective Services employees had been assaulted at Velasquez’s home in the 100 block of Carr Avenue in Aromas. The CPS employees told deputies they had gone to the home to investigate a child abuse case. Deputies said the CPS employees, who have not been identified, were talking to an individual at the home when Velasquez allegedly attacked them, swinging a pickax and threatening to kill them.
“As the social workers fled the residence, Gene Velas-quez threw a coffee cup which shattered at their feet,” according to the press release.
Velasquez chased the CPS employees to their vehicle and smashed the front passenger window with the pickax, the press release stated. The CPS employees fled the scene in their vehicle.
After meeting the CPS employees at the Old Firehouse Market, deputies saw Velasquez approaching with a pickax. Deputies ordered Velasquez to drop the pickax.
“Mr. Velasquez ignored those orders and kept approaching with an angry countenance. One of the deputies heard Mr. Velasquez repeatedly say, ‘Shoot me! Shoot me!’ The deputy responded ‘Put the weapon down, don’t make me shoot you.’ At one point Mr. Velasquez hesitated, so a second deputy holstered his firearm, drew his Taser and fired it a distance of 15 feet,” according to the press release.
But the taser “had little effect except that Mr. Velasquez hunched a bit, then lifted the pickax over his head while continuing to approach the two deputies who were closest to him,” according to the press release. Two deputies then fired their .40-caliber Glock pistols at Velasquez. Velasquez immediately fell to the ground and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
