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March 29, 2024

Metro officer shoots armed man after domestic dispute

Domestic Dispute - Pirate Cove Road

Nikki Villoria

Metro Police investigate after an officer shot a man Monday wanted in connection with a domestic dispute.

Updated Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011 | 1:17 a.m.

Domestic Dispute - Pirate Cove Road

A Metro Police officer shot a man wanted in connection with a domestic dispute Monday after the man entered a stranger's condo armed with a gun. Janeen Placencia was one of the women inside the condo that was broken into. Launch slideshow »

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A Metro Police officer shot a man wanted in connection with a domestic dispute Monday after the man entered a stranger's condo armed with a gun. The man's injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening, police said.

The incident began about 2 p.m., when police responded to the report of a domestic violence incident in the 7300 block of Pirate Cove Road at the Marquesa condominiums, near Tenaya Way and Westcliff Drive.

Police Capt. Patrick Neville said the man had left the scene by the time police arrived, prompting officers to begin a search for him after he allegedly had beaten and choked his girlfriend. Officers were aware he might also be armed with a gun.

About three hours later, police received a call regarding a man trying to enter a residence in the 7200 block of Pirate Cove Road. A woman reported that an unknown man was banging on her front door, then she told him to leave, Neville said.

"At first he knocked at the door and she answered the door and said 'no, my husband's not home, no I can’t help you,' " said Janeen Placencia, one of two women and four children under age 10 in the residence. "The second time he said 'can I come in and get out of the heat, I’m really hot. I’m just really hot and need some help, can I come in?' And I kept saying no ... She put two and two together and said 'you know, there’s been police all over the place today, maybe they’re looking for him. So we called the police and certainly it was him.”

The man briefly left, but returned and began knocking on the door again before pushing his way inside, police said.

Click to enlarge photo

Janeen Placencia discusses the events Monday evening that led to an officer-involved shooting in the western valley.

“I answered the door and this time he had a gun in his hand and he pushed me, shoved me back into the house," Placencia said. "He shoved me against the television and said 'I know you guys called the police because there’s choppers outside looking for me, let me explain what happened.' And I asked, 'Explain what?' He said, 'Well, I got in a fight with my girlfriend and they’re looking for me.' "

Officers arrived and heard yelling coming from inside, then forced entry in the condo's front door, Neville said.

“I had the children in the back bedroom screaming and the police walking the area heard the screams of the kids yelling,” Placencia said.

Once inside, police saw the man armed with a black semi-automatic handgun.

Neville said the man refused officers' commands to put down the weapon, prompting one officer to fire a shot at the man in the abdomen. He was taken to University Medical Center with critical injuries, but was expected to survive, authorities said.

The man's name wasn't being released Monday night. No officers were injured.

The officer was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in cases of officer-involved shootings. The officer's name will be released 48 hours after the shooting.

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