OXNARD : Police Identify Man Slain by Officers

A man shot and killed by Oxnard police officers last Saturday night--who had worked occasionally on area ranches since May--had told police earlier Saturday that his life was in danger, officials said.

Heliodoro Rodriguez Montero, 47, had listed several local addresses as his residence, including the one on North Hayes Avenue where he was killed by one bullet wound to the head and two to the chest. Police said that Montero, a native of Mexico, had been hit several other times but listed only three wounds as fatal and one to the abdomen as possibly fatal, said Detective Jeff Young of the Oxnard Police Department.

Detectives identified Montero on Monday after talking with other patrol officers familiar with the La Colonia neighborhood and surrounding areas. One officer had responded to a call from Montero earlier Saturday that men were following him and wanted to kill him, Young said.

“He seemed to have a delusion that some men were out to get him,” Young said. “He just seemed extremely paranoid.”

Police found no evidence of a pursuit, Young said.

On Saturday, Young was uncertain as to whether Montero had fired at the four officers. He said Wednesday that the man fired at least once when he came from the house.

Young said Montero pointed his weapon at the officers at least three times--when he first came from the house, after he had been wounded and fallen to the ground and when he tried to regain his footing.

Police detectives will meet with representatives of the district attorney’s office this morning as the investigation continues, Young said. Three of the officers involved have been removed from duty as part of routine procedure during the investigation.