Police name Escondido officer, suspect in shooting involving 2-foot-long stick and knife – San Diego Union-Tribune

Authorities have identified the man who was shot and severely wounded after allegedly charging a police officer outside an Escondido halfway house last week while armed with a knife and a 2-foot-long stick.

The San Diego Police Department said 34-year-old Marcello Castillo Jr. of Escondido was in critical condition as of Saturday. Police also identified the Escondido Police Department officer involved in the shooting as Thomas Lussenden, who has been with the agency for 11 years.

San Diego police are investigating the incident under an agreement that prevents agencies from investigating their own officers.

Events that led to the gunfire began shortly before 2:30 a.m. Jan. 27, when officers responded to reports that a man had intentionally cut himself with a knife at the sober-living and community re-entry facility on South Elm Street.

Officers tried for about an hour to persuade the man to disarm himself and surrender, but he refused and eventually stopped communicating with them, San Diego police Lt. Lou Maggi said. Castillo then locked himself in a restroom, according to police.

“Because the negotiations were not successful and the man had not threatened harm to anyone other than himself, officers made the decision to de-escalate the situation by leaving the otherwise vacant facility,” Maggi said.

About 4:20 a.m., police got word that the man had exited the restroom and was walking around the property of the halfway house carrying a roughly 24-inch-long stick, along with the knife.

One of the officers who had responded to the initial call was the first to arrive back at the location, where he armed himself with a gun that fires “less lethal” 40mm rubber projectiles and positioned himself in an alley next to the facility while awaiting the arrival of backup.

Before more officers got there, however, the suspect appeared in the alley, holding the piece of wood, according to police.

“The officer gave commands for the man to drop the stick,” Maggi said. “The man refused … and charged at the officer. The officer transitioned to his handgun, yelled for the man to stop, and then fired several shots, striking him multiple times.”

Paramedics took Castillo to a hospital.

“The stick and a knife with a broken blade were located at the scene of the shooting,” the lieutenant said.