Police Shoot Suspect Armed With A Knife In Escondido

ESCONDIDO, CA — A suspect armed with a knife was shot by Esondido police during a confrontation in Esondido, police said Thursday.

The Escondido Police Department received a call at approximately 12:10 p.m. Wednesday regarding the suspect, who the caller said was walking north in the southbound traffic lanes of South Centre City Parkway near Felicita Avenue. According to the caller, the suspect was approaching passing motorists while armed with the knife, creating a traffic hazard and safety concerns, said Lt. Travis Easter of the Escondido Police Department.

The suspect -- identified by police as 54-year-old Juan Ramos -- continued walking north, in and out of southbound traffic lanes toward 13th Street when two uniformed Escondido Police officers and one Escondido detective found him in the intersection of South Centre City Parkway and 13th Street and immediately demanded that he to drop the knife, Easter said.

Ramos ignored the officers' commands and ran toward the detective with the knife in his hand, prompting all three to fire their weapons. He was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground, immediately got back up and ran toward the uniformed officers with the knife in his hand, according to police. The officers fired at Ramos again, who was struck by the bullets and again fell down.

Ramos continued to hold onto the knife and during the confrontation he made comments indicating he wanted the officers to shoot him, police said.

Additional Escondido Police Officers arrived at the scene and fired several sponge rounds at the suspect, forcing him to drop the knife. Officers then approached Ramos and immediately began first medical measures, Easter said. Escondido Fire Department paramedics took him to Palomar Medical Center, where he is expected to survive his injuries.

The two officers who fired their weapons have been employed by the Escondido Police Department for approximately eight months and 17 years, respectively. The detective has been employed by the Escondido Police Department for approximately three years, according to the police department. The uniformed officers were equipped with body worn cameras, which were activated during this incident.

San Diego police homicide detectives were called to investigate the shooting, per the countywide memorandum of understanding regarding officer involved shootings.

Ramos faces charges for assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon.

After the investigation is completed, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney's office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. Anyone with information regarding this shooting was asked to call the department's Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

— City News Service