Man Dies in Struggle With Police on El Cajon Blvd.

An unidentified man died after a scuffle Monday evening with San Diego police on one of the city’s busiest streets, police and witnesses said.

Witnesses said it took several officers and at least one billy club to restrain the man during the struggle on El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego’s Talmadge neighborhood, but they stressed that police did not use excessive force. “This guy was going crazy,” witness Richard Ebrite said. “He looked like he was way on drugs.”

The police homicide team was called to investigate. Officers closed the 4600 block of El Cajon Boulevard and diverted traffic for several hours after the man ran into the street about 6 p.m. Monday--with officers in close pursuit.

Sgt. Larry Weeden said officers were called because the man was throwing cans of food at customers in the Vinh Hung supermarket at 4690 El Cajon Blvd.

When officers arrived, the man fled into the street, according to Ebrite and Robert Carlos, both 20, who work at a Domino’s Pizza on El Cajon.

Officers tackled the man in the street, and soon three officers were on him, trying to restrain him, Carlos said. “The officers tried to hold him down, but he was kicking and throwing punches, going crazy like he was on drugs or something,” Ebrite said. “Three officers were trying to restrain him but couldn’t.”

At that point, Carlos said, another officer “basically just slid on top” of the man and, after a bit more struggling, the man was handcuffed.

“We did see one billy club, but it was not used excessively,” he said. “They placed the cuffs on. But, at that point, he was motionless” and officers tried to resuscitate him, then called paramedics, Carlos said.

The man could not be revived, Sergeant Weeden said.