UPDATE: The suspect in this case has been identified as Gary Kendrick DOB (03/13/59). Mr. Kendrick was a resident of Encinitas. The deputy involved in this shooting has been identified as Deputy Steven Block. Deputy Block has been employed as a deputy sheriff with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department for less than five years.
Encinitas CA— On Friday morning March 27, 2015, at approximately 9:26 a.m., deputies from the Encinitas Station received a radio call of an incomplete 9-1-1 call from a residence in the 2000 block of Shadytree Lane in the city of Encinitas.
As deputies were responding to the location the dispatcher advised the deputies there was a history of weapons at the residence and that deputies had responded to the location earlier in the week.
When deputies arrived they contacted a witness near the location of the initial 9-1-1 call who told them his neighbor, a fifty-six year old white male, was in small grass area near their location and he was armed with a shotgun.
The deputies located the male who was in the grass, in a seated position, with the shotgun pointed at himself. When the deputy ordered the male to drop the shotgun he told the deputy to shoot him and began to point the shotgun in the direction of the deputy. Fearing for his safety, one deputy fired several rounds from his issued AR-15 rifle striking the male an unknown amount of times. The male fell to the ground and again attempted to point the shotgun at the deputy. Again, fearing for his safety, the deputy shot the male incapacitating him.
Deputies and paramedics performed CPR on the suspect, but despite their resuscitation efforts the suspect was pronounced dead. None of the deputies were injured.
The deputy involved in this shooting has been employed with the Sheriff’s Department for less than five years. This incident will be investigated by detectives from the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321/after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.