Parolee Shot Dead By San Pablo Police Identified
SAN PABLO (BCN) - A wanted parolee who was shot by a San Pablo police officer Tuesday night after allegedly pointing a loaded gun at him has been identified as 33-year-old Akinlabi Minter, San Pablo police Lt. Jim Creekmore said Thursday.
The incident began at about 8:12 p.m. Tuesday when an officer pulled over a car at a gas station at 2500 San Pablo Dam Road.
The officer spoke with the three people in the car and then went back to his patrol car to check the driver's license.
While he was at his car, the officer saw the driver, a woman, and the front seat passenger, later identified as Minter, get out of their car.
Minter was holding a black backpack near his waist, police said.
The officer ordered the pair to get back in their car, but instead Minter ran behind the gas station and dropped the backpack, police said. The officer ran after him and saw him reaching into his waistband, police said.
According to police, the officer ordered Minter multiple times to stop, then discharged his Taser.
Minter jumped a hedge and fell on the ground. The officer struggled with him and allegedly felt a gun in his waistband, police said.
The officer continued to order Minter to stop resisting, police said, but he broke free and stood up.
Minter then allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it in the officer's direction, police said.
The officer pushed the gun away and fired multiple shots, striking Minter, according to police. The officer called for medical aid, but Minter died at the scene, police said.
Creekmore said Minter had an extensive criminal history and went by 18 different aliases. The Contra Costa County coroner's office had him listed as Elttab Akinlabi Minter. His city of residence is unknown.
Minter's most recent prison conviction was for making a threat with the intent to terrorize a witness. He was sentenced in 2007 to 16 months in prison, Creekmore said.
In 2009, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation issued a warrant for his arrest, listing him as "armed and dangerous," Creekmore said.
Minter had been avoiding arrest since that warrant was issued and had allegedly told an associate that he was not going to go back to prison, Creekmore said.
Investigators have also learned that Minter was allegedly a member of a criminal street gang.
The case is being investigated by San Pablo police, the Contra Costa County sheriff's office and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.
The officer who shot Minter, a field-training officer for the police department, has been placed on paid administrative leave while the case is under investigation.
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