San Diego : Kolender Seeks Investigation Into Dubose Shooting

Police Chief Bill Kolender formally requested Wednesday that the county grand jury investigate the March 12 death of Tommie Dubose, a Southeast San Diego resident who was killed when police officers served a search warrant at his home.

Kolender said he was making the request after he and the Rev. George Walker Smith, spokesman for the Civilian Advisory Panel on Police Practices, “discussed the skepticism some community members have voiced regarding this tragic incident.”

“The Reverend and I are in agreement that a grand jury review of the shooting would be an appropriate method to allay the concerns that have been expressed,” Kolender said in a letter to the grand jury.

Police-community relations have become strained in recent weeks. The Dubose incident was the second fatal shooting by police this month.

Dubose was shot by Officer Carlos Garcia after Garcia and Officer Andy Rios entered the home to search for drugs. A struggle ensued, and Dubose wrestled away Rios’ service revolver, police said. Community members have said Dubose was a vocal opponent of drugs and would never have attacked a police officer.

For Garcia, it was the third shooting in his 10 years with the Police Department.

Early Sunday morning, Garcia was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after his 1985 Corvette crashed into a center divider wall shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Interstate 805 near Adams Avenue.

Garcia suffered a cut on his forehead in the crash. His passenger, fellow Officer John Rivera, was not injured.