The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) identified an officer who fired a shot at a suspect in Little Italy on Saturday as a 19-year veteran of the department.
SDPD said Officer Anthony Bueno feared for his life when he fired a single round at a suspect he was trying to detain on the 1300 block of India Street.
As he drove through the neighborhood, Officer Bueno was flagged down by several citizens who alerted him to a man who had jumped on the hood of a car and started yelling at the driver, according to police.
Bueno located the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Brent Zadina, walking into oncoming traffic near the corner of India and Ash streets just before 7 p.m.
The officer attempted to place Zadina, who was believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time, under arrest but he violently resisted and an altercation ensued.
Officer Bueno fired and struck Zadina with his Taser but it was ineffective, SDPD said. As the struggle between the two continued, Bueno began to fear for his life and fired one shot from his service weapon that missed Zadina.
SDPD said around that time, additional units arrived at the scene and assisted Bueno in taking Zadina into custody.
Zadina was transported to an area hospital, where he remains as of Tuesday, for observation. Upon his release, he will be booked into the jail for resisting arrest through the use of force and violence.
SDPD asked that anyone with information on the incident call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293.
