Carlsbad
A Carlsbad police officer shot and killed an armed man Tuesday after a tense stand-off, police said.
Richard Heinz, 45, who had threatened a confrontation with the police after he was fired from his job a day earlier, died of bullet wounds to his chest and abdomen at 2:50 p.m., Lt. Don Lewis said.
Officer Steve Clary, a six-year veteran, fired four shots after Heinz pointed a semi-automatic pistol at him, Lewis said.
When police arrived at a condominium complex in the 4600 block of Park Drive, Clary ordered Heinz to lay down his weapon. Heinz reportedly replied, “I am dead anyway,” and pointed his gun at the officer. The two men were 15 feet apart at that time, Lewis said. The shooting came after a third warning to Heinz to put down the weapon, Lewis added.
Heinz’s former employer had warned police Monday that Heinz had threatened to provoke the police into killing him, Lewis said.
Clary will continue working pending investigations by Carlsbad police and the San Diego County district attorney’s office.
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