Police officers cleared in fatal shooting

"Police responded to a call of a man shooting at the sidewalk on the 200 block of Hazel Avenue at 2:31 p.m. on Nov. 11. Lombera, 48, of Redwood City, had approached his neighbor, Santiago Sanchez-Vasquez, and falsely accused him of stealing his dog, according to Wagstaffe. Lombera fired a shot into the ground two feet away from where Sanchez-Vasquez was after he denied taking the dog."

"Sgt. Ruben Orozco told the four other officers with him to plan to shoot rubber bullets at Lombera if he was not compliant with officers. Officers began to close in on Lombera, and when they were about 10 to 15 feet away, they asked him to raise his hands, according to the DA's account."

"Lombera began to raise his arms, but put his hands on his sides, toward his right front pocket, Wagstaffe said. Officer Adrian Espinoza-Gonzalez fired the gun with rubber bullets and hit Lombera in the stomach, but had little effect. Lombera then got his handgun and held it with both hands in a shooting stance, the DA said."

On November 11, police responded to a report of a man shooting at a sidewalk on Hazel Avenue in Redwood City. Jose Reynaldo Lombera, 48, had confronted his neighbor over a stolen dog accusation, fired a shot into the ground, and stated he felt like killing the neighbor. Officers located Lombera outside his home using a drone and planned to use rubber bullets if necessary. When officers approached within 10-15 feet and ordered him to raise his hands, Lombera initially complied but then moved his hands toward his right front pocket. After a rubber bullet proved ineffective, Lombera retrieved a handgun and assumed a shooting stance. Officers fired nine shots total, with four hitting Lombera fatally. The District Attorney determined the officers acted in self-defense and declined to file charges.

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