Authorities Tuesday publicly identified a San Diego Police Department sergeant who fatally shot a San Carlos man who allegedly pointed a BB pistol at officers last week during a confrontation at the suspect’s home.
Sgt. Zachary Pfannenstiel opened fire on 60-year-old Andrew Farnham in the 6500 block of Bonnie View Drive at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to police. Farnham, who suffered at least one bullet wound, died at a hospital the following day.
The events that led to the deadly law enforcement gunfire began when a 91-year-old man made a 911 call to report that a relative he identified as Farnham was armed with a gun and had threatened to shoot family members and himself, SDPD Lt. Andra Brown said.
Officers went to the neighborhood near Lake Murray and gathered at a park close to Farnham’s residence to devise a plan to take him into custody safely. While they were discussing their options, the man who had made the emergency call exited the home and walked over to the officers.
A short time later, as police sought to get more specific information about the situation from Farnham’s relative, the suspect walked into his open garage and pointed what appeared to be a firearm at them, prompting Pfannenstiel to draw his gun and shoot him, officials said.
Investigators subsequently determined that the pistol Farnham had been wielding was a BB gun.
Pfannenstiel is a 14-year member of the SDPD currently assigned to the department’s service-dog unit.
City News Service contributed to this article.