Man Fatally Shot By Gilroy Police Allegedly Hurt Girlfriend
GILROY (CBS SF) – A man allegedly hurt a woman believed to be his girlfriend before he was fatally shot by police Monday evening in Gilroy, police said Tuesday.
Officers responded to a call of a domestic violence disturbance in the 6800 block of Filbro Drive around 7 p.m., police Capt. Joseph Deras said.
The caller said a woman was hiding from the suspect, believed to be her boyfriend, according to Deras.
Once the suspect found the woman, he grabbed her, pulled her hair and the caller suspected he was threatening her, Deras said.
The first officer on scene heard a disturbance and was confronted by the suspect, who charged at him, according to Deras.
One of the officers subsequently opened fire, fatally striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel, Deras said.
"They were in a carport area. They met halfway between the apartment and the parking lot. Some interaction occurred and he [the officer] needed to discharge his weapon. He fired and the suspect went to the ground," said Deras.
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Additional officers provided medical care to the suspect until emergency responders arrived, but the suspect died of his injuries at the scene, according to Deras.
The officer who shot at the suspect was not injured, Deras said.
The officer has four years of experience in law enforcement and was placed on administrative leave, which is county protocol in an officer-involved shooting, Deras said.
Police could not immediately say if the suspect was armed.
"The coroner's office needs to come down and sift through some of the evidence and we're expecting that will confirm or deny the presence of any weapon," Deras said.
Police have not identified the suspect or the officer as of Tuesday afternoon, but family told KPIX he was 19-year-old Hector Alvarez.
Officers are issued body-worn cameras and police will review any audio or video recordings of the incident, according to Deras.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is monitoring the investigation, police said.
Anyone with information on the case is asked call police Detective Eric Cryar at (408) 846-0350.
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