A 69-year-old man who allegedly pulled a knife on a patrolman near Horton Plaza, prompting the officer to shoot him, was recovering in a hospital Friday.
The events that led to the law enforcement shooting in the downtown Gaslamp District began shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, when pedestrians flagged down the officer and told him they had seen a man walking around with a knife at Third Avenue and G Street, according to San Diego Police.
“The man was creating a disturbance and causing pedestrians to leave the sidewalk and walk out into the street,” Lt. Andra Brown said. “The officer contacted the man, who was standing on the southeast corner amidst a good deal of debris and holding a bowl of food.”
Though warned not to touch the knife while being questioned by the patrolman, the suspect drew the weapon and threatened him with it, Brown alleged. The officer responded by opening fire on the man.
Paramedics took the suspect to a hospital for treatment of at least one bullet wound. He was in stable condition as of late Friday morning, the lieutenant said.
Police did not immediately release the name of the officer, a 26-year department veteran assigned to the SDPD Neighborhood Policing Division, or publicly identify the suspect.
San Diego police homicide detectives called in to investigate the case, which is standard procedure following officer-involved shootings in the city, whether or not they result in a fatality.
Updated at 12:35p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021