A man who was fatally shot by two police officers following a pursuit that ended in a Golden Hill cul-de-sac this week has been identified as a 37-year-old San Diego resident, authorities said Thursday.
Enrique Cortez Jr., who led police on a 30-minute chase from San Ysidro, crashed his Ford F-150 pickup into the front yard pergola of a home on 26th Street on Monday, according to the Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the shooting. A San Diego police car pulled behind the wrecked truck, and Cortez allegedly revved the engine, prompting two San Diego police SWAT units to open fire, said sheriff’s homicide Lt. Juan Márquez.
The officers were identified Thursday as acting Sgt. Bryan Shields, a nine-year veteran with the department, and Sgt. Richard Curtis, a 13-year veteran. Both work patrol out of the Southeastern Division.
The incident began about 3:20 p.m. with a report of a man armed with a rifle on Sanger Place in San Ysidro, Márquez said. The man reportedly put away the rifle in his truck but then grabbed a handgun, argued with a bicyclist and fired a shot in the rider’s direction, Márquez said.
When officers arrived, the man fled in his truck, ending up in Golden Hill.
The Ford collided with a San Diego officer’s patrol vehicle, prompting the officer’s airbag to deploy. The Ford then crashed into the pergola, where the shooting unfolded.
Cortez died at the scene.
Besides the sheriff’s investigation, which is being done under a countywide agreement to prevent departments from investigating their own shootings, the district attorney’s office will also review the case for possible criminal liability.
