Confusion During Talk With Dispatcher May Have Lead to Slaying by S.D. Officer

Police maintained Friday that the girlfriend of a man shot and killed by police a day earlier in South San Diego had told a dispatcher that the man was armed.

But Lori Crosson said in a televised interview that, because she was trying to talk to the dispatcher and her irate boyfriend at the same time, the operator misunderstood her about whether her boyfriend had a weapon or gun.

Richard W. Cross Jr. was shot by Paul Wright, 39, a 13-year police veteran, police said Friday. It was the first time the name of the officer who killed Cross was revealed.

Also on Friday, police identified the officer who shot and killed a suspect during a drug raid Wednesday as Detective Don Watkins, 38, also a 13-year veteran. That victim, who reportedly was slain while reaching for a gun, has not been identified.

In the Cross slaying, a police emergency operator called Crosson when her number appeared on the dispatcher’s screen after a “911 hang-up”--an emergency call where the caller hangs up instead of making a complaint, Lt. Dan Berglund said.

The operator asked Crosson if she had called 911, if the man was hitting her, if the man had a weapon, and if he had a gun. Crosson’s response was yes to all the questions, Berglund said. Crosson replied no when asked if she could talk at the time.

Crosson was crying and a man was heard yelling in the background, Berglund said. “You could hear this guy yelling, ‘I know who you’re talking to,’ ” the voice said.

The dispatch went out as a domestic disturbance, and Cross was reported to have a gun, Berglund said.

Wright and other officers then approached the apartment in the 2200 block of Palm Avenue, announced they were police, and pushed open the door Berglund said. Cross turned toward the door and Wright fired a single shot, striking Cross in the arm and chest.

“At that time, the officer realized (Cross) was unarmed and immediately started to render first aid,” he said.

“The woman called 911, asked for an ambulance and said the police had just shot her husband--she referred to him as her husband--and said it was an accident,” Berglund said. “That was her initial statement.”

The only weapon found in the apartment was a knife, he said.

“The Buck knife was found in a clothes basket, lying right on top of it, which was lying next to (Cross’) right leg,” Berglund said. “He could have had it and dropped it, I don’t know.”

But Crosson discredited the knife as Cross’ weapon in the televised interview, saying the police might as well bring up her kitchen knife.