Abran Gutierrez Obituary, Death -The man was identified as Abran Gutierrez by the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office. According to Steve Wagstaff, the county’s district attorney, Gutierrez had no prior contact with law enforcement as an adult. An argument between the suspect and the mother of one of his children prompted a witness to call 911, according to investigators.
The call for assistance set in motion a series of events that culminated in Tuesday’s police shooting. “I heard everything before the gunshots,” said witness Breana Hume. From their nearby apartment balcony, she and her boyfriend, David Thomas, had a bird’s eye view of the events and violence. “I saw a group of cops or a tactical unit converge on the car,” Thomas said.
According to Wagstaff, a witness saw Gutierrez and the unidentified woman arguing inside and outside of a Prius with three children nearby. “There was an argument; there was a confrontation going on between him and his child’s mother,” Wagstaff explained.
A swarm of Redwood City police officers arrived three minutes later and attempted to negotiate with Gutierrez. According to police, he was carrying a gun and threatened to shoot the woman and her children.
“I heard one pop, then another,” Hume said, “and they were distinct from the police officers’ pop, pop, pop.” “We were definitely concerned,” Thomas added, “and I believe my girlfriend would have preferred to stay inside.” At least five officers opened fire on Gutierrez, hitting him several times. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Gutierrez died as a result of his injuries. Wagstaff would not comment on why the officers opened fire.
“I’m not going to get into that until we interview the officers who fired the shots,” he said. “We’ve already conducted interviews with a half-dozen of the witness officers.” According to Wagstaff, the district attorney’s office will use the coroner’s report, witness interviews, and interviews with the officers involved in the shooting to determine whether this was a lawful use of lethal force.
The realization that the next act of gun violence in America could take place right outside their door is unsettling for the residents who live near the shooting scene.
“I’ve never seen live gun violence before, and it’s terrifying,” Hume said. According to Wagstaff, the investigation into the shooting will take about two and a half months. The five officers have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
