NAPA, Calif. (KTVU and wires) – A man who confronted police as they served a search warrant for drugs and guns on a Napa home has died from wounds suffered in an officer-involved shooting, authorities said.
Napa police Chief Steve Potter said the unidentified man had succumbed to his wounds after being rushed to Queen of the Valley Medical Center.
The incident began shortly before 5 p.m. when officers from the Special Enforcement Unit serving a warrant for drugs and firearms at a home in the Alta Heights neighborhood contacted the subject of the warrant -- a 41-year-old Latino man whose name has not yet been released.
A Napa Police Sergeant and three officers, in plainclothes but wearing identifying vests, chased the man -- who was known to have gang affiliations.
Potter said a confrontation ensued and the man was "struck by the officers' bullets."
"Two of the officers had their guns drawn, and they were standing over the guy," resident Marcos Reyes told KTVU, who emerged from his home in the moments after the shooting.
Reyes said the suspect's relatives soon ran from his house shouting and angry with police.
"They were upset," described Reyes."(They were) yelling -- saying is it him? is it him?"
Local residents said they heard at least three shots fired.
"We were all eating dinner at home and we heard three shots," said one resident near Spring Street and Hill Ave. "My mom was at the kitchen window so she ducked down."
The Napa County Sheriff's Department will lead the investigation into the shooting, as per county protocol, police said.