Two deputies wounded in Encinitas shooting; Gunman found dead

ENCINITAS (CNS) – A 22-year-old man accused of shooting two deputies and
holding up in his mother's Encinitas home — prompting a 10-hour SWAT
standoff that displaced about 25 residents — was found dead of a self-
inflicted gunshot wound early Thursday, authorities said.

The incident in the 700 block of Del Rio Avenue near Leucadia Boulevard
began around 1 p.m. Wednesday with a woman reporting that her adult son was
upset that she had recently obtained a restraining order against him and had
taken off in her car, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

He returned to the home shortly after 3:30 p.m. and deputies tried to
talk to him inside the residence, department spokeswoman Melissa Aquino said in
a statement.

Several patrol deputies entered the home with the mother's consent and
established verbal contact with the man, sheriff's Capt. Duncan Fraser told
reporters at the scene.

“After several minutes of negotiation with him, which was unsuccessful,
and because of some statements he was making they deployed less lethal tear
gas,” Fraser said. “Unfortunately, the male returned fire, striking two
deputies.”

The wounded deputies were then evacuated and sent to hospitals, he said.

One of the deputies was wounded in the forehead and the other, in the
leg, according to Aquino. Both were expected to survive.

After shots were fired, the suspect stayed inside. Crisis negotiators
and SWAT teams from around the county flocked to the scene, and for several
hours, negotiators were in contact with the suspect, authorities said.

Around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, robots were sent into the home to check on the
suspect and about 10 minutes after that, SWAT officers entered and found the
man dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Aquino said.

During the standoff, the Red Cross turned the Encinitas Community Center
into a shelter for about 25 area-residents displaced by the police activity.
Those residents were expected to be allowed back in their homes during the
night, Aquino said.

The deputy who was shot in the forehead was treated and released from
the hospital, according to Aquino. She said the other was admitted into Scripps
La Jolla Hospital in stable condition. Their names were not immediately
released.