Stockton police kill man they say was armed with a gun, agencies investigate

Stockton police on Sunday killed a man holding “what appeared to be a firearm” when officers opened gunfire, a police spokesman said Monday.

Police could not confirm Monday whether the man pointed a gun at police or civilians at any point Sunday, spokesman David Scott said. Law enforcement has not confirmed the man’s identity as of Monday, he said.

Just before 8 p.m. Sunday, police say they were dispatched to the Hammer Lane and Mariners Drive area after they “got multiple calls on reports of a male subject armed with a firearm,” Scott said.

Officers found "the person matching the description, currently armed with what appeared to be a firearm, and at that time, an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Scott said.

Two patrol officers fired their weapons, Scott said. Police could not confirm Monday if officers ordered the man to drop the firearm.

After the shooting, the man was handcuffed, and officers gave medical aid while waiting for an ambulance, Scott said. The man died at the scene.

A firearm was recovered near his body, Scott said.

No officers, who also weren't identified, were injured in the shooting.

Witnesses hear fatal shots

Ena Louis of Manteca said she heard gunshots ring out around 7 p.m. She and Monique Louis, Vallejo, were in town to visit a relative who lives in the area of the shooting, the women said.

“We heard it when we were on the patio, and I was like, ‘OK, that was close. Somebody just got shot,'” Ena Louis said.

At about 9 p.m. Sunday, police had swarmed the area near Hammer Lane and Mariners Drive, with at least 15 police units blocking traffic as investigators worked to gather evidence and witness statements.

Nearby businesses, including Excel Gas & Mart, Quik Stop, and Taco Bell, were forced to close doors and drive-throughs. Access was blocked off by crime scene tape.

Neighborhood residents living in apartment complexes and houses on Mariners Drive could not get home as roads were shut down.

Some parked their cars at a nearby shopping center and along the side of the I-5 freeway and attempted to walk past the crime scene with children, pets, and grocery bags in hand.

Anthony Douglas was traveling on Mariners Drive when police began to secure the crime scene and told him he had to turn his car around, he said. Douglas had been waiting for at least two hours for the intersection to reopen so he could go home, the Stockton man said.

“I’m kind of frustrated … I’m tired, and I have to work in a little bit,” Douglas said.

Stockton police and the California Department of Justice are still investigating the shooting and what led to it. Police plan to release more details about the deadly encounter on Tuesday, Scott said.

The officers have been placed on paid leave while the police department investigates the incident. The department has not released their names, but Scott said additional details about the officers, including tenure and positions, would also be released Tuesday.

They will be required to go through counseling before returning. State or local officials will determine if the shooting was justified.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers public safety. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton police kill man allegedly armed with a gun