Authorities Monday publicly identified the man who was fatally shot by a patrol officer in Clairemont Mesa after shooting a police dog to death.
Benjamin Pickens, 33, opened fire on the 4-year-old Belgian Malinois named Sir after an officer sent the animal after him during a confrontation on Mesa College Circle about 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, which investigates police shootings in San Diego under the terms of a countywide agreement.
A patrolman then shot Pickens, mortally wounding him. The suspect was pronounced dead at a hospital later in the morning.
The events that led to the shooting began when a 911 caller reported being shot at by a passenger in a white Tesla sedan in the 3500 block of Ben Street, just west of the junction of Interstate 805 and state Route 163, sheriff’s Lt. Joseph Jarjura said. The victim was unharmed by the gunfire.
Searching the area, officers found the Tesla with Pickens behind the wheel, holding a handgun, according to Jarjura. When officers tried to pull him over, the suspect sped off.
A short time later, police again located the car, this time parked on the nearby Mesa College campus. They then spotted Pickens on foot nearby.
“Officers gave verbal commands to the suspect, who was non-compliant and acting erratic,” Jarjura said. “The suspect was armed with a handgun that he placed underneath his left armpit. The suspect made multiple movements, grabbing the gun with his right hand.”
As the suspect continued refusing to comply, the police dog’s handler released the animal. Pickens reacted by shooting Sir, at which point SDPD Officer Addam Ansari shot the suspect in the chest with a rifle.
The service dog was taken to a veterinary clinic, where he was pronounced dead.
Ansari, who is assigned to the SDPD Western Division, has been employed by the department for 11 years.
City News Service contributed to this article.