Aromas
– The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the
conduct of three officers involved in the shooting death of an
Aromas man earlier this week, but officials said initial reports
show that the officers acted appropriately.
Aromas – The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the conduct of three officers involved in the shooting death of an Aromas man earlier this week, but officials said initial reports show that the officers acted appropriately.
The three deputies involved in the shooting of 44-year-old Gene Velasquez are still on administrative leave pending psychological evaluations and an internal investigation into the shooting, said Monterey Sheriff’s Cmdr. Alan Wheelus. The three deputies shot Velasquez, who was threatening to kill them and swinging a pickax, after a taser failed to stop him. Velasquez may have been taking prescription medicine for mental health reasons at the time of the shooting, and Wheelus said investigators are awaiting toxicology results to determine what medication Velasquez was on and how that may have affected his actions.
“We investigate every officer-involved shooting,” he said. “But on its face it appears they acted appropriately. It’s unfortunate that someone died, but there is no indication that they did anything wrong.”
Two of the three deputies involved in the shooting were veteran officers, Wheelus said. The third deputy, Gustavo Hernandez, has been with the Monterey County Sheriff’s office for three years, but only recently started patrol work.
Wheelus said the internal investigation would be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney’s office for review and could take four or five months to complete.
The three deputies are expected to return to active duty next week, Wheelus said.
Once the Sheriff’s office completes its investigation, the District Attorney’s investigators will review the report and could order further investigation, said Chief Assistant District Attorney Terry Spitz.
“Our investigation will only be concerned with whether or not there was a criminal act,” he said, “and it could take several weeks to complete.”
Once the investigation is completed, Spitz said he would write a report and make a recommendation to the District Attorney regarding whether or not the officers committed any crime. At that point, the district attorney would decide whether or not to file criminal charges, Spitz said.
The shooting was the first in occur in Aromas in recent memory, Wheelus said.
Deputies arrived in Aromas shortly around 3pm on Tuesday 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 the pickax and threatening to kill them. Velasquez allegedly chased the CPS employees to their vehicle and smashed the front passenger window with the pickax, the statement said.
While interviewing the CPS employees, deputies were informed that the assault suspect, who later turned out to be Velasquez, was spotted at the Old Firehouse Market. There, Velasquez approached deputies in a “very threatening manner” while “yelling that he was going to kill them all” and “swinging the pickax violently” at the deputies, the statement said. Velasquez ignored repeated orders to put down the ax and continued toward the deputies. One of the deputies then tasered Velasquez, but “this had no effect on him,” the report stated. Velasquez shook off the taser and continued to approach the three deputies. At that point, two deputies fired their .40-caliber Glock pistols, the statement said. Velasquez immediately fell to the ground and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
