San Diego police fatally shot a man Wednesday morning in the North Park neighborhood after he set a police K-9 on fire and then ignited his own clothes inside an adult video store, according to the San Diego Police Department. The unidentified suspect died at a hospital several hours after the confrontation.
Incident Timeline in North Park
The sequence of events began Wednesday morning when the man allegedly smashed car windows using a metal rod in the North Park neighborhood, according to San Diego police. The suspect then ran down the street and entered an adult video store armed with a blowtorch and flammable liquid.
Officers tried to stop the man using nonlethal rounds before deploying Ryder, a police K-9, to force the suspect out of the store. Police said the man burned the dog on its neck and around its face during the encounter. Three officers suffered burns to their hands while extinguishing the flames on the K-9, according to authorities. The injured K-9 is expected to recover.
Police Shooting and Hospitalization
Cellphone video captured by a San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV reporter showed at least one officer standing outside the store with a firearm drawn and aimed inside. Police stated the suspect set himself on fire and approached officers, prompting them to open fire. Video footage showed officers performing CPR on the suspect on the ground outside the business.
The suspect was transported to a hospital, where he died hours later, according to police. A nearby resident described the scene to local reporters, stating they had never witnessed anything like it before and expressing concern about public safety regarding individuals with mental health issues or drug use obtaining blowtorches. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
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