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San Ysidro, San Diego- On April 3, 2019, at approximately 1:33 p.m., the San Diego Police Department Communications Center received multiple 911 calls regarding gunshots being heard in the
area of 190 West Calle Primera.
Officers arrived on the scene a few minutes later and
attempted to contact the man described by the callers, which prompted an officer-involved shooting.
As with any officer-involved shooting occurring in the City of San Diego, the San Diego
Police Department Homicide Unit responded to conduct the investigation.
The investigation is still in its preliminary stages, but according to civilian eyewitnesses, gunshots were heard in the neighborhood and a male 50 year-old Alfonso Cervantes with an AK47 style rifle was seen walking through the RV Park. The witnesses described the man as acting strangely and appeared to be hiding from someone.
Multiple citizens said the man pointed the rifle at
them during the initial incident.
Several San Diego Police Officers arrived on scene and established a perimeter as they developed a tactical plan to handle the incident as safely as possible. At one point, the man approached the officers’ location and fired a round from his rifle. The man
retreated behind a row of RVs and was again seen a few seconds later, still holding the
rifle. An officer gave directions to the man to drop the weapon, but he did not cooperate.
According to a witness, the man raised the weapon towards the east – in the direction of
the officers – and gunshots were again heard and the man fell to the ground.
Officers immediately approached and began administering first aid, until being relieved by
medics. Unfortunately, the man did not survive and was pronounced deceased at the
scene.
Thankfully, no other civilians or officers were injured in what could have been a
much more tragic incident. A loaded assault-style rifle was found next to the man.
One San Diego Police Officer fired his weapon during the incident. Multiple residents also reported that the man had pointed the rifle at them during the initial incident, Police said.
The gunfire prompted a brief lockdown at nearby Willow Elementary School.