Friends identify man shot and killed by San Diego deputy in Imperial Beach

An investigation was underway after a San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man holding a knife at a crowded holiday event in Imperial Beach on Sunday.

The shooting happened in front of the Imperial Beach Pier sign during the Christmas by the Sea Pow Wow, just after 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the San Diego Police Department, which is investigating the incident via a countywide memorandum of understanding that prevents departments from investigating uses of force involving their own law enforcement personnel.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Why did they shoot him? Why did they shoot him? Why you shoot him?’ This is a Native event. We don’t do that here,” said Toni Battle, who witnessed the shooting.

San Diego police said sheriff’s deputies were on site working the event when a man on a bike approached two deputies and a sergeant and asked to speak with them.

“He made statements that were consistent with wanting to be shot,” SDPD Lt. Lou Maggie said.

Investigators said at one point during the conversation, the man pulled out a knife and began moving toward the deputies, who gave the man multiple commands to drop the weapon. When the man failed to comply, one sheriff’s deputy fired at him several times and struck the man, police said.

“They rendered aid here at the scene until medics arrived. That subject was transported to the hospital but unfortunately did not survive the injuries,” Maggie said.

Authorities have not officially identified the man, but friends told NBC 7 his name was Gary Gates and that he was homeless and living by the pier.

They say he was troubled but also kind. Flowers, candles and chalk messages decorated a memorial where he was shot.

At the Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center, word traveled fast that it was Gates.

“My husband and I were watching TV, and we heard four pop, pop, pop, pop,” said Debra Benson, who runs the center’s food pantry.

Benson said Gates would often come for a meal. When she heard the shots, she had no idea it was someone she knew.

“He was kind and just a wonderful person,” said Eliana Loyo-Ross, also with the neighborhood center. “And unfortunately, you know, his demons caught up to him.”

John Griffin-Atil runs the center and says Gates reached out to a volunteer on Friday to share that he wanted to hurt himself. Griffin-Atil says law enforcement was contact but little came of it. That same day, Gates shared a post on social media, writing, “For all of my life it’s been me against the system… tonight the system wins… if the police come I’ll give them a reason to shoot me.”

“When we found out that it was Gary, it was just deep sadness,” Griffin-Atil said, later adding, “I’m very troubled that, that our response to a situation like this is, is violence.”

Investigators said a taser was found on scene, but whether it had a role in the incident will be part of the investigation.

San Diego police are still investigating the incident. Once that investigation is finished, it will go to the district attorney’s office, which will determine if the deputy should face any charges. The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office are also monitoring the investigation.

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