Authorities Monday released the name of an East Coast man who was fatally shot by police when he allegedly threatened them with a kitchen knife during a weekend confrontation in a Point Loma home.
The events that led to the shooting began shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday, when a 911 caller reported that an intruder was trying to get into a home in the 1300 block of Trieste Drive, according to San Diego police.
“The caller stated that (the man) had banged on their front door and windows, demanding a knife so he could kill himself,” Lt. Mike Holden said.
Officers arrived to find the suspect, later identified as 24-year old Kyle Zahacefski of Colchester, Connecticut, in the front yard of a home next door to the one from which the emergency call had been made, Holden said.
Seeing the patrol personnel, Zahacefski allegedly picked up some bricks and hurled them in their direction, then ran off toward the house on the property. Moments later, police heard the sound of breaking glass.
Officers approached the home and, finding a glass door on it shattered, entered. They found Zahacefski in the kitchen, holding a knife to his throat.
The suspect ignored repeated orders to drop the weapon, instead pointing it toward them and starting to quickly walk in their direction, according to Holden.
“Fearing for their lives, one officer fire several rounds from his AR- 15 rifle, and another officer fired one round from his beanbag shotgun,” the lieutenant said.
Struck by at least one bullet, Zahacefski collapsed and died, despite officers’ attempts to revive him with CPR.
Two adults were asleep in the home when the suspect broke in. Neither was injured.
Investigators determined that Zahacefski had arrived in San Diego by bus on Saturday. It was unknown why he traveled to Southern California, Holden said.
— City News Service