San Leandro Police Fatally Shoot Man With Machete Who Exposed Self To Children
SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) -- San Leandro police fatally shot a man who was wielding a machete outside a home in San Leandro on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
San Leandro police said the shooting happened at 4:17 p.m. in the 600 block of Martin Boulevard near Madison Park Academy, a middle school and high school.
Officers received a call from someone in the area reporting a man wielding a machete in the middle of the street. The caller, who knew the man, said he appeared intoxicated and was "behaving erratically," police said.
The caller said at one point, the man dropped his pants and revealed his genitals to children in the neighborhood. The man also reportedly said he would "kill the police" if they were called and would not "go down without a fight."
Officers arrived to the area at 4:11 p.m. and saw the man in the street shirtless, still holding the machete. More officers arrived and they all verbally commanded the man to stop and drop the weapon.
The man refused officer commands and began walking toward a home. He eventually discarded the weapon by throwing it several feet into the air, police said.
The man then walked toward a porch on which an elderly woman was sitting. Officers, concerned for her safety, instructed her to get off the porch while continuing to negotiate with the man.
Police said they devised a plan to use less-lethal intervention measures to get closer to the house. Officers said they negotiated with the man for six minutes and he did not comply. Police then began to approach the home when the man suddenly stood up in a "bladed stance," police said.
He raised what officers believed to be a gun and began shouting profanity at officers.
One officer fired one shot to the man's upper body due to his actions and threatening demeanor, police said. Officers approached and attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the object the man was holding was a piece of wood similar in size and color to a firearm.
The San Leandro Police Department and the District Attorney's Office will conduct three separate and independent investigations into the shooting.
"This is a tragic event for everyone," said San Leandro Police Lieutenant Isaac Benabou. "Our officers never want to be placed in a situation such as this and go to extreme measures to achieve a peaceful outcome. Deadly force is only exercised by an officer in the most extreme circumstances, to protect the officer or others from what the officer reasonably believes would be an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury."
"Yesterday's events are devastating for everyone and we wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and to all others who may have witnessed this unfortunate event."
The deceased was identified by police only as a 56-year-old Hispanic male. Police said that although they are confident they know the man's identity, they will not release his name until the Alameda County Coroner's Office can confirm it.