Robbery Suspect Killed by Police Identified as Costa Mesa Resident
Authorities on Friday identified the robbery suspect who was killed by an officer after the man tried to take money from a grocery store and fought off police.
Juan Gabriel Blanca, 28, of Costa Mesa was acting strangely and threatened store employees when he entered La Guadalupana produce store in Santa Ana on Thursday evening, Santa Ana police spokesman Sgt. Steve Despenas said.
Blanca attempted to take money from the cash register and then assaulted an employee before he left the store, Despenas said.
“According to witnesses, employees locked the front door and Blanca returned, yelling and attempting to break in,” he said.
Employees called the police who arrived and chased him. Blanca and one officer struggled, shots were fired and Blanca later died.
The officer’s name is not being released and the district attorney’s office is investigating, a routine procedure in officer-involved shootings, Despenas said.
Authorities could not say whether Blanca was armed during the shooting.
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