Authorities Friday publicly identified a Rancho Penasquitos man who was wounded in a police shooting this week after allegedly pointing a gun at patrol officers responding to a family dispute at his home.
Richard Young, 61, remained hospitalized under guard Friday afternoon, two days after being shot by an officer while Young stood next to his wife on their front porch in the 8500 block of Celtic Court, according to San Diego police.
The events that led to the law enforcement shooting began shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, when a 911 caller reported a possible episode of domestic violence underway in the neighborhood just west of Black Mountain Open Space Park.
During the call, a dispatcher “could hear a male voice make comments about wanting to be shot by police” and determined that the man making the statements might be armed with a gun, said SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs.
After officers took up positions in front of the residence and began making a plan to address the apparently volatile situation, the 911 operator heard what sounded like a struggle inside the home.
Spotting Young and his wife on the front porch of the house, the patrol personnel moved in so they could separate and detain them for questioning. As they approached, Young allegedly stood up, pulled a revolver from his waistband and begin to raise it in their direction, prompting SDPD Northeastern Division Officer Timothy Breck to fire a single round at him with his service firearm.
No injuries to Young’s wife or to the officers who responded to the dispute were reported.
The SDPD Homicide Unit and the department’s internal-affairs division will investigate the case, as is standard protocol in instances of officer-involved shootings. The District Attorney’s Office ultimately will determine if Breck acted within the bounds of the law when he fired on Young.
— City News Service