Officer Shoots, Kills Man in Domestic Fight

A San Diego police officer shot and killed Mission Beach man who reportedly was wielding a gun and threatening to kill his estranged wife and then himself, police said.

Brian Eccles, 29, was shot in the chest and head Saturday morning by Officer Arthur Weatherford after Eccles, who alternately pointed a .38-caliber handgun at his wife and at Weatherford, refused to relinquish the gun, a police spokesman said.

Eccles died at the scene. His wife, Victoria, was unharmed.

Police officers, responding to a report of a domestic fight, arrived at the house in the 800 block of Santa Clara Place in Mission Beach at 11:50 a.m., Lt. Paul Ybarrondo reported. Police could see from the street that Eccles was on the second floor landing wielding a gun and a woman was on the stairs, Ybarrondo said.

A short time later, Weatherford, 30, a six-year veteran of the force, entered the house through the front door and saw Eccles point a gun at his the women, then threaten to kill her and himself, Ybarrondo said.

Weatherford reportedly ordered Eccles to put the gun down, Ybarrondo said, Eccles turned the gun toward Weatherford, who fired his service revolver three times at Eccles.

Homicide detectives are investigating the shooting.