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A man who was seen by police attacking a person was fatally shot by officers Tuesday morning after ignoring their commands to stop, authorities said.

The incident unfolded around 11:10 a.m. in the 7600 block of Reseda Boulevard in Reseda.

A knife allegedly used in a stabbing in Reseda on July 25, 2023, is shown in a photo released by the LAPD.

Responding officers found the suspect on top of the victim while holding a knife, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He failed to comply with officers, who eventually used less lethal rounds to try and subdue him.

Instead, the assailant began stabbing the victim again, prompting officers to shoot him.

The suspect, described only as a Hispanic man in his 20s or 30s, was declared dead at the scene.

La Mesa, California — On Sunday, August 6, 2023, two La Mesa Police Officers contacted a suspect who had an active felony warrant for burglary in the parking lot of a condominium complex at 8000 University Avenue. Officers had confirmed the status of the subject’s felony warrant and obtained a photograph of the suspect prior to contacting him. At approximately 4:13 p.m., the officers saw the suspect standing outside of the passenger side of a vehicle parked in the lot. When officers contacted the suspect, he took out a handgun and pointed it directly at an officer who was standing in front of the vehicle. It appears the suspect tried to fire at the officer multiple times but the firearm malfunctioned.

In response, one officer discharged his firearm multiple times at the suspect as he ran through the parking lot. As the suspect continued to run towards University Avenue, it appeared the suspect was trying to manipulate or clear the firearm of the malfunction. The officer discharged his firearm, striking the suspect in the upper body multiple times. This incapacitated the suspect and caused him to drop the firearm. Officers rendered first aid and called for paramedics but the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene a short time later. The preliminary investigation into this incident indicates a passing vehicle was struck by a round but the motorist in that vehicle was not struck. There was also at least one round that struck a building within the lot. No officers or other persons were injured during this incident.

The suspect in this incident has been identified as Jason Hampton of La Mesa. He is described as a 41-year-old white male. The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Brian Heller. He has been employed by the La Mesa Police Department for approximately six years. He is currently assigned as a Master Patrol Officer in La Mesa and has been placed on paid leave per the La Mesa Police Department’s standard protocol following an officer-involved shooting incident. The second officer present did not fire his weapon during this incident. Per the Countywide Memorandum of Understanding, the San Diego Police Homicide Unit was called to the scene to conduct the officer-involved-shooting investigation. Detectives are continuing to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. A loaded 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene.

The family of a Tulare man killed by police released video this week they said shows he was not a threat to officers, who shot him in the back as he fled. Joel Villegas was killed by Tulare police about 3:15 p.m. April 16 after a 911 caller reported seeing someone in the area of Bardsley Ave and Vetter Street with a knife, Tulare police said in a news release. Villegas, 34, was remembered by family as a doting father and a person others wanted to be around because he made them smile. “What they did was wrong,” older brother Armando Villegas said. “It was unfair to his wife and kids and family. He mattered.” His family released video from a Tulare officer’s body-worn camera that shows the officer yelling commands as Villegas runs away from him. At one point he trips, before getting up again and continuing to flee. The video shows Villegas never advanced on police before officers fired several rounds. Officers in the video can be heard saying Villegas was not breathing before an officer begins CPR. The shooting was “so egregious,” according to Dale Galipo, the attorney representing one of Villegas’s sons and his father.

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on August 15, 2023, at about 6:45 p.m., San Diego Police Department detectives were serving a search warrant san diego county sheriff department logofor an apartment in the 6100 block of El Cajon Blvd in San Diego. The subject of the search warrant was identified by their detectives as the outstanding suspect in a shooting that occurred on August 2, 2023. That shooting was the catalyst for the radio call that SDPD responded to, and eventually ended in an OIS at Mesa College.

SDPD detectives set up a perimeter on the apartment building and conducted a contain and call-out procedure. They made phone calls into the apartment, did call-outs directly outside of the apartment and gave verbal commands and warnings. The suspect eventually exited the apartment with a loaded handgun in his hand. Officers gave the suspect commands to drop the gun, which he eventually did. Officers gave the suspect commands to move away from the handgun which was on the ground near his feet. The suspect refused and kept looking at the gun. Despite multiple warnings and commands from the officers, the suspect quickly lunged to grab the gun. This prompted one of the officers to discharge his firearm multiple times. The suspect was struck multiple times and went to the ground. Officers provided medical aid, but the suspect succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by paramedics around 7:00 p.m.

The Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy. The preliminary results for the cause of death are gunshot wounds; the manner is homicide. The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Xavier Benjamine Lacosta. His last known address was in the city of San Diego.

Lacosta was previously arrested and convicted of 23152(B) VC – Driving under the influence and 11377(A) HS – Possession of methamphetamine.

No officers or civilians were injured. The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Gregory Simon. He has been employed by the San Diego Police Department since September of 2016. He is currently assigned to the Special Operations Unit.

To view the previous press release dated August 16, 2023, click links below.

Per the Countywide Memorandum of Understanding, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Homicide Unit was called to the scene to conduct the officer-involved-shooting investigation. At this stage of the investigation, the circumstances of the shooting are still under investigation. Detectives are currently gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The investigation and review process for officer-involved shootings are extremely thorough. When the Homicide Unit completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to determine if the officers bear any state criminal liability for their actions. The San Diego Police Department will conduct an administrative investigation into the officer’s discharge of his firearm. The Commission on Police Practices (CPP) will conduct a review of the incident and provide any appropriate recommendations. The Department of Justice was notified of the above incident.