San Diego police officers shot a man Wednesday morning after he reportedly bashed cars with some sort of metal rod and threatened people before burning a police dog and setting himself on fire while barricaded in a North Park adult store, authorities said.
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The man was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after the incident, said sheriff’s homicide Lt. Juan Marquez. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the matter under a countywide protocol designed to keep law enforcement agencies from investigating themselves.
The dog was rushed to an animal hospital with burns to his neck and possibly more of his body, Marquez said.
Marquez said three officers burned their hands during the incident and they were treated at a hospital.
The incident started around 9 a.m. with reports that the man was bashing car windows with a hammer and also swinging it at people as he walked down the street in the area of El Cajon Boulevard and Oregon Street, San Diego police initially said. Marquez later said the item had been reported as “some type of metal rod.” He said four cars were damaged.
Officers arrived and chased the man, who made his way into Adult Emporium, a few blocks away on 30th Street and Polk Avenue, and barricaded himself in the business, Marquez said.
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The man refused multiple commands to come out, the sheriff’s lieutenant said.
Police shot him with beanbag rounds during the standoff. Officers also sent in a police dog. Marquez said the man was armed with a blowtorch of some kind and burned the dog’s neck and possibly some of its body.
At one point, an officer fired multiple shots at the man, Marquez said. It appears the man set himself on fire, Marquez said, but added it was not clear whether it had been intentional or accidental.
“The individual, we believe, was able to catch himself on fire as the officers made contact with him,” Marquez said.
Officers began providing medical aid to the man. Marquez said he believed at least one of the injured officers was burned while trying to assist the man when the man was still on fire. Officers also were able to retrieve the dog inside the business and rush him to treatment.
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The man’s name has not been released.
