Officers Cleared in Shootings Involving Suicide Threats

The San Diego County district attorney has exonerated two San Diego police officers of any criminal liability in separate shooting incidents in which two people were killed after threatening suicide, including a distraught woman who shot herself in the head during a fierce gun battle with police.

Loretta Ann Elmore, 27, suffered a gunshot wound to her head, apparently fired by her own handgun, and also was shot in the right leg by Officer Peter Madrid.

One of two reports released Tuesday by police concluded that “both wounds were potentially fatal” because the bullet in her leg perforated the femoral artery.

“As likely as not, Elmore died as a result of her own accidental or suicidal act when she shot herself in the head,” the report said.

“At the very least, this act hastened her death. It is equally likely that she died as a result of the gunshot fired by Officer Madrid.

“Whichever the case, Officer Madrid’s act was justified.”

The shooting occurred June 23 near El Cajon Boulevard and Iowa Street. According to the district attorney’s report, Elmore had been distraught for two weeks over losing her job. While reportedly under the influence of methamphetamines, she allegedly threatened some friends with her handgun, threatened to kill herself, and then confronted the responding police officers.

“When Elmore turned around, Officer Madrid saw a gun in her hand,” the report said. “At the same time, Elmore fired at Officer Madrid.”

The report said Madrid saw or heard Elmore fire two shots, that he then fired eleven rounds from his weapon, and that Elmore fell down on her back. Madrid told investigators that he believed Elmore then fired one more shot while lying on the ground.

Madrid said he answered with four or five more rounds, moved closer to her and then “saw Elmore fire again.” In response, the officer fired an additional four or five more rounds.

Second Shooting

In the second shooting, Officer Daniel Roman was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the July 8 shooting death of Lawrence Miller.

The shooting occurred outside Miller’s apartment in the 8200 block of Jade Coast Drive, where Roman and officers were dispatched after Miller began threatening to kill himself.

According to the district attorney’s report, Miller met the officers at his door with a meat cleaver in one hand and a knife in the other. “As Miller advanced, he carried his weapons chest high, with the blades pointing at the officers,” the report said.

“Miller started moving toward Officer Roman, and when he was about six to eight stairsteps away, Officer Roman fired twice, hitting him twice in the abdomen. Miller died from his wounds.”

Roman, in an interview with police homicide investigators, described his reason for firing his gun. “I’m sorry,” he said. “He came towards me. He wanted to get one of us. He had it in his eyes.”

The coroner’s report concluded that Miller was heavily intoxicated, and investigators later realized that Escondido police had three times responded to calls there when he had threatened suicide in the past.

“Had Officer Roman hesitated, he might have provided the few seconds necessary for Miller to kill or seriously injure one or more of the officers,” the report said. “Officer Roman acted professionally, responsibly and reasonably under these difficult circumstances.”