San Diego

The wounding of a Point Loma man armed with a shotgun in May by a San Diego police officer answering a domestic disturbance call was legally justified, the district attorney’s office announced Friday.

“It was either shoot or be shot,” said a report issued by District Atty. Edwin Miller.

Nels S. Peterson, was shot in the right shoulder May 19 by Officer Anthony Castellini at a house in the 4400 block of Greene Street, police spokesman Bill Robinson said.

Peterson’s wife had called police to report that her husband was acting abusive and was possibly on drugs, police said. After police arrived, Peterson ran to an upstairs room and came out with a 12-gauge shotgun, which he pointed in Castellini’s direction, Robinson said.

Castellini fired once from his 9-millimeter pistol, Robinson said. A blood test revealed that Peterson had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system, according to Miller. Peterson is being held in County Jail downtown on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, Robinson said.