What to Know
- Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra was brain dead following the June 27 shooting and succumbed to his injuries on Monday.
- His family told NBC 7 he was shot 11 times, but SDPD said that remains under investigation.
- The officers involved in the shooting were identified as Jonathon Lucas and Tevar Zaki, both of the SDPD Central Division.
The 25-year-old man who was shot by San Diego police officers after he allegedly pulled a gun on them in downtown has died, according to authorities.
Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra succumbed to his injuries just before 10:30 p.m. Monday. He underwent emergency surgery at UC San Diego Medical Center after two police officers opened fire on him on Saturday.
Ibarra was walking down a sidewalk on the 1200 block of Sixth Avenue just after 5:45 p.m. when the officers spotted him. Believing he matched the description of a man involved in a June 21 robbery because of his face tattoos, the officers tried to approach Ibarra.
The man dropped items he was carrying and ran away, the San Diego Police Department said. While Ibarra ran, he reached into his waistband, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the officers, according to authorities Officers in turn opened fire, causing Ibarra to collapse.
Downtown San Diego Shooting
More information on the fatal June 27 shooting.
Ibarra was handcuffed after he was shot and was given first aid while officers waited for paramedics to arrive. A loaded revolver wrapped in a bandana was recovered under the man's body while he was handcuffed, police said.
Family members of Ibarra said he was shot 11 times, but SDPD said that remains under investigation. They told NBC 7 their loved one was brain dead and they were not confident he would survive.
Gabriela Gudino, Ibarra’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of two of his children, and Damian Lora, Ibarra’s brother-in-law, told NBC 7 that although he was armed, he did not deserve to die.
“It was excessive force,” Gudino said. “That was just too many times. Nobody deserves that.”
“I get it, one, two – but 11 times? I think that’s not right," Lora said. "Even if he pulled out a gun, there are other ways to try to stop him.”
Authorities said the officers involved in the shooting were identified as Jonathon Lucas and Tevar Zaki, who have both been with SDPD for four years and assigned to the Central Division.
SDPD said Officers Lucas and Zaki's actions are being investigated by the department's Homicide Unit. Upon their completion, the shooting will then be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office to determine if the officers performed criminal actions. The Internal Affairs Unit will also investigate to see if any policies were violated and the Shooting Review Board will evaluate tactics used by the officers.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office will also monitor the investigation, according to San Diego police.
Ibarra was described as a loyal friend, good brother and son, and a good father to his three children. His family created a GoFundMe page to finance his funeral expenses and help support his children.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or who has more information on the matter is urged to contact the San Diego Police Department's Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting CrimeStoppers at 888-580-8477.
