A day after a Harbison Canyon man was shot and killed by California Highway Patrol officers, the man’s father called the officers’ actions unjustified.
“They shot him, they murdered him. That’s how I look at it. They murdered my son,” Ted Osorio told NBC 7 San Diego Monday.
His first-born son, Anthony Osorio, was shot and killed at the end of a high speed pursuit early Sunday.
Officers tried to pull over a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe about 2:30 a.m. after noticing the vehicle was speeding and driving erratically.
Homicide investigators say Anthony Osorio, 27, led CHP officers first on eastbound Interstate 8, then to Greenfield Drive at La Cresta in an unincorporated part of El Cajon.
After rolling his SUV, officials say Osorio stepped out of the car.
Neighbors recalled hearing intense yelling.
Detectives say Osorio moved toward officers and seemed to reach for a weapon, causing officers to open fire multiple times.
"Fearing the suspect would shoot them, one or more of the officers fired their service weapons at him," according to Lt. Glenn Giannantonio with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Local
But Osorio's father questioned the account, wondering how his son could have moved toward the officers if he was gunned down right next to his vehicle.
“I saw the pictures of him dead and he’s lying right next to his car,” Osorio said. “Right next to the door and they shot him right there.”
Ted Osorio said his son was good man who got married at 18 and fathered two children.
He said Anthony worked in construction at night on the freeways and had a good relationship with police and CHP officers.
“Everything was going good for my son and if you ask any of these neighbors they will tell you he was the kindest person they’ve ever met,” he said.
Osorio said the entire family has already been hurting because ted's youngest son, Andrew, took his own life just 3 months ago.
“They were really close, you know, him and his brother,” Osorio said. “He was just hurting so much.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department was waiting for a search warrant before entering Osorio's SUV Monday. Deputies expect to release more information about the case later this week.
