Man killed in Friday’s shooting identified

A 38-year-old man who was shot and killed Friday during a gun battle with Glendale police had a long criminal history that included stalking and making threats against women, court records show.

The man, identified as Antonio Tafolla-Diaz, had a string of convictions, including two for violating a domestic violence restraining order, resisting arrest, trespassing, stalking and making criminal threats, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

A restraining order was also issued against him in 2006 due a domestic violence incident.

Numerous calls made to several phone numbers listed in Tafolla-Diaz’s name went unanswered or were disconnected Tuesday.

Tafolla-Diaz — who lived in Rosamond just north of Lancaster — worked in Glendale as an auto body painter, but the name of his employer was not immediately available.

The Police Department’s Homicide Unit and administrative team, which includes Internal Affairs and police legal counsel, continues to investigate the officer-involved shooting, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Investigators are waiting for a final coroner’s report, which will include toxicology results, to make their final determination, he added.

The district attorney office’s investigation into the shooting is ongoing and could take several weeks, spokeswoman Shiara Dávila-Morales said.

Their investigation won’t be complete until they receive final reports from the Police Department.

The results, which could take up to 30 days, will help determine whether Tafolla-Diaz was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he opened fire on police, and may give investigators “a better understanding on why he acted the way he did that night,” Lorenz said.

Tafolla-Diaz’s turbulent past caught up with him about 2:30 a.m. Friday when police said he walked toward two officers, who were responding to a shots-fired call on San Fernando Road near Glendale Avenue, and opened fire.

The officers used their patrol car to shield themselves and returned fire at Tafolla-Diaz, who hid behind a light pole as he continued to fire his gun, Lorenz said.

Investigators found multiple pistol magazines at the scene, which suggests that Tafolla-Diaz reloaded during the gun battle, Lorenz added.

More than two dozen shots were fired during the gun battle, police said.

The patrol car of a third officer who arrived on scene was struck by gunfire on the driver’s side portion of the hood.

No officers were hurt during the shooting, but Tafolla-Diaz was eventually killed.

Soon after detectives began investigating the shooting, they discovered a restraining order had been issued against Tafolla-Diaz to protect a woman who had listed her residence on Vassar Street about a block from the shooting, Lorenz said.

Tafolla-Diaz’s history sparked concerns among detectives who feared his actions toward police may mean there was a possible victim, Lorenz said.

In two other police shootings in 2008 — one at Forest Lawn Memorial Park on Glendale Avenue and another on South Adams and East Colorado streets — both gunmen were prime suspects in murders that occurred just before they engaged officers in gun battles.

“We were concerned that there could be a victim out there,” Lorenz said.

When they went to the residence, the woman no longer lived there. Detectives eventually contacted the woman, who was OK.

The two officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave for their well being and put in contact with a department psychologist, Lorenz said. After the officers are monitored and assessed, they could return to work in a week or two.