Hollister
– An unarmed Hollister man was killed Sunday after a sheriff’s
deputy shot him on Highway 156 near Bixby Road, the sheriff’s
office said. The deputy’s 11-year-old daughter was in the patrol
car at the time of the shooting, Sheriff Curtis Hill confirmed.
Hollister – An unarmed Hollister man was killed Sunday after a sheriff’s deputy shot him on Highway 156 near Bixby Road, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy’s 11-year-old daughter was in the patrol car at the time of the shooting, Sheriff Curtis Hill confirmed.
Israel Guerrero, 29, died Sunday at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital after an altercation with San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies in which he was shocked with a Taser gun twice, struck in the knee with a baton, sprayed with pepper spray and shot in the stomach, Hill said.
“You obviously hope that when you make contact with people that they are going to be cooperative, but unfortunately that’s not always the case,” Hill said.
Guerrero’s family declined to comment Monday.
The deputy, whose name the sheriff’s office has not released pending further investigation, is on paid administrative leave, Hill said.
Hill said the preliminary investigation shows the deputy, a 25-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, properly followed procedures and policies.
As for the daughter’s presence in the patrol car, Hill said he doesn’t know why she was there.
“That’s one more part of our investigation,” Hill said. “We have to make a determination of how that played into the incident.”
It all began when the deputy pulled over to check on Guerrero. The deputy thought Guerrero might have been involved in a minor crash at 2pm Sunday on eastbound Highway 156, Lt. Roy Iler said.
When Guerrero began speaking, the deputy suspected he was under the influence of methamphetamine, Iler said. Guerrero then failed to follow the deputy’s instructions.
Guerrero spun on the deputy, who shocked him with a Taser gun to no effect, Iler said.
The man continued resisting arriving officers throughout the incident and even as emergency crews attempted to provide medical aid, Hill said.
A second deputy arrived and failed to subdue Guerrero using a Taser, Iler said.
The first deputy then hit Guerrero with a baton, Iler said. Un-fazed, Guerrero continued toward the first deputy. Backing up, the first deputy drew his .40-caliber pistol and ordered the man on the ground, Iler said.
Just before the shot, Guerrero had come within two to three feet of the retreating deputy, Iler said. With his handgun tucked into his body, the deputy shot the unarmed Guerrero in his stomach, Iler said.
Guerrero turned around, and the second deputy shot a Taser at the man from behind, Iler said.
Still unfazed, Guerrero began trying to stop traffic, Hill said. Then a third deputy arrived and sprayed pepper spray at Guerrero, Iler said.
Once California Highway Patrol officers arrived, authorities took Guerrero into custody, Iler said. But Iler said Guerrero continued struggling with emergency crews while being loaded into an ambulance.
The man was pronounced dead after arriving at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Hill said. Results from an autopsy were unavailable at press time Monday. A toxicology report should be completed within six weeks, Hill said.
Hill said Guerrero has a history of drug-related convictions and has been arrested in San Benito, Monterey, Santa Clara and Kern counties.
In addition to an internal investigation, District Attorney Candice Hooper’s office will determine whether the shooting was justified and if criminal charges should be filed.
“We have nothing yet,” Hooper said Monday. “It’s still under investigation.”
Hill did not say what agency, if any, will conduct an outside investigation into the death.
It is the second officer-involved shooting for the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office in the last two weeks.
On May 25, a deputy shot at a threatening and suicidal Aromas man, who had set the room above his garage ablaze. An autopsy confirmed that Tommy Ralph Gabriel, 52, died of asphyxiation and had not been shot, the sheriff’s office reported.
