In a tragic turn of events, a road rage incident escalated into a deadly shootout, claiming the lives of one driver and a heroic police dog on the campus of San Diego Mesa College.
The San Diego County sheriff’s office, responsible for investigating the incident, reported that a 33-year-old man was fatally shot by a police officer at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
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Prior to his demise, the man discharged his handgun, mortally wounding a police dog named Sir.
Beginning in a nearby neighborhood, roughly half a mile away from the college campus, the ordeal unfolded. A resident in the area recounted how he found himself behind a Tesla sedan driving erratically while en route to his house. As he maneuvered to overtake the Tesla, a gunshot pierced the air.
The Tesla followed the resident home, and subsequent gunshots were allegedly fired by an individual stepping out of the vehicle. One of the bullets penetrated a nearby house, fortunately without causing harm to any occupants, according to the sheriff’s report.
Upon arrival in the neighborhood, San Diego police officers spotted the Tesla and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Instead, the driver led them to Mesa College and abandoned the car in a parking lot. He was seen conversing on his phone while brandishing a firearm when the officers approached him.
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Disregarding their commands, the driver began to walk away, prompting the officers to unleash a police dog. As the driver pivoted and raised his handgun, an officer fired a single shot from a rifle, striking him in the upper torso.
The man was pronounced dead at a hospital at 3:20 a.m. His identity has not been disclosed.
The police dog, who took a bullet to the chest, succumbed to his injuries at a veterinary clinic. Sir, a 4½-year-old Belgian Malinois, had been faithfully serving with the department since March 2022.
The investigation into the shooting will be conducted by the sheriff’s homicide unit and the police department. The district attorney’s office will review the findings, while the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will also oversee the investigation, according to the sheriff’s statement.
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