Man Fleeing Police Is Shot, Killed by Santa Ana Officer

A motorist who fled after he was pulled over by police was shot and killed Thursday by an officer who chased him into the courtyard of a downtown Santa Ana apartment complex.

Police said the veteran officer fired a single shot at the suspect, striking him in the chest. Authorities provided few details of the 8 a.m. encounter and wouldn’t say if the man--whose name hasn’t been released--was armed.

“During the confrontation, the officer felt he was in fear of his life and did what he did,” Santa Ana Police Lt. George Saadeh said.

After being pulled over for a traffic violation on North Minter Street at Santa Ana Boulevard, the man ran from a car that was reported stolen, said Santa Ana Police Sgt. Baltazar De La Riva. The man ran more than a block before dropping a case of CDs in the street and dashing into the gated, four-level Villa La Palma apartment complex.

The Santa Ana officer, whose name was not released, chased the man on his motorcycle. Several officers who were in the area for bicycle training also ran after the man. Police said the officer and the suspect were alone when the shooting took place.

The wounded man was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead at about 9:30 a.m.

Although residents said they did not witness the shooting, they expressed concern that police would engage in gunfire in an apartment complex teeming with children.

“What if he missed and shot someone else?” said Esmeralda Roman, 20, who lives in the complex and was at the corner supermarket when the shooting took place. “There are a lot of children in the complex. I’m scared and worried because it could have been my son.”

Daniel Chavez said he and other residents were not told by police what had happened. He just knew there had been a shooting.

Many families were stuck inside their apartments as investigators from three law enforcement agencies fanned out to collect evidence and question witnesses.

Margarita Sanchez, a mother of two, said she was afraid because the police wouldn’t let her husband and other residents who were outside the building return to their apartments.

“I’m afraid to go to the store because they won’t let me back in. It’s hard because we don’t understand what is going on,” she said.

De La Riva said the officer, who was not injured, will be placed on administrative leave for at least two days, a standard practice. The district attorney’s office, which looks into all officer-involved shootings, is investigating.

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Times staff writer Jennifer Mena contributed to this report.