Police Identify Man Shot by Deputy

Authorities today released the name of a 22-year-old man who was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy over the weekend while allegedly charging the lawman and several other patrol personnel with a stick alongside a North County thoroughfare.

Elwood Edwards of Los Angeles County died at the scene of the shooting in the 4900 block of Oceanside Boulevard, police Lt. Leonard Mata said.

The events that led to the deadly confrontation began shortly before 1:30 p.m. Sunday, when Oceanside police received a report of a disturbance at a convenience store in the 1500 block of Melrose Drive.

A caller reported that a young man -- later identified as Edwards -- had hit a customer over the head with a glass quart bottle at the business and threw a brick through the window of a car, striking someone inside the vehicle. The victims suffered only minor injuries, Mata said.

Edwards allegedly proceeded to vandalize the market before fleeing on foot to the west. Since the neighborhood is near the city limits of Vista, which is patrolled by sheriff's personnel, deputies responded to assist police, the lieutenant said.

The deputies found Edwards in the 4900 block of Oceanside Boulevard, about a half-mile from the store, and attempted to detain him. The suspect, who was behaving irrationally, refused to cooperate and armed himself with a stick, according to Mata.

Moments later, Deputy Mike Astorga opened fire as Edwards "lunged at deputies with the stick in a threatening manner," Mata said.

Edwards suffered a bullet wound to the chest and died where he fell. No deputies or police officers were injured.

"Based on our preliminary investigation, it appears that only Deputy Astorga discharged his weapon," Mata said.

Astorga is a five-year member of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. He is assigned to the agency's Vista station.

—City News Service