Dumanis Clears Officers in Fatal Shooting

Three Oceanside police officers are cleared of improper action in the fatal shooting of a parolee in 2007.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis wrote in a letter that officers Erik Ellgard, Jon Seabron and Ryan Erwin were justified in using deadly force against 29-year-old Siaki Ramon Del Rio.

Del Rio's family filed a civil suit against the city in January, asserting that the pursuit was "negligent, careless, reckless, wanton, and unlawful" and that he was unarmed at the time of the incident, the North County Times reported.

The gang-affiliated Del Rio led officers on a brief car chase that later ended in a crash. He then fled on foot from the scene and struggled with arresting officers, and told them he had a gun. Officers then fired 24 rounds at Del Rio, hitting him 20 times.

Medical examiners found a semi-automatic pistol in Del Rio's jacket pocket after the shooting, according to the paper.

Del Rio's widow Deana Del Rio and two sons sued the city, but Dumanis said the officers feared for their lives. In her letter clearing the officers, Dumanis also wrote that Del Rio had methamphetamine in his system at the time, and that officers had tried to control him before using lethal force by using pepper balls, a canine and a stun gun.

Contact Us