Questions raised after officer-involved shooting in Shafter

SHAFTER, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) -- Some neighbors in this community are raising questions after Shafter police shot and killed a man allegedly armed with a knife.

Rodolfo Velazquez, 47, has been identified as the man shot by three officers in an alley near Golden Oak Elementary School. The Kern County District Attorney's office will handle the shooting investigation.

In the meantime, neighbors and relatives have concerns.

"I only saw the police coming around," Esparanza Medina told Eyewitness News on Friday. She identified herself as Velazquez' mother-in-law, and said she had heard the gunshots fired on Thursday, and saw him fall to the ground in the alley.

Medina added in Spanish, that Velazquez was a really nice person, but he was in a bad state of mind, since he was separated from his son. She said her daughter didn't want Velazquez to see the 5-year-old boy.

Medina said she didn't know if he was on drugs Thursday, but a neighbor said he'd spotted the man talking to himself and pacing through the alley earlier in the morning.

Shafter Police had reported they got a call of a man acting erratically, possibly under the influence of drugs, and carrying a knife. Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said officers ordered Velazquez to drop the knife, but he still came at them with it.

"Fearing for their lives, the officers fired at the suspect, causing fatal injuries," Smith had said on Thursday.

"They have Tasers," Shafter resident Eduardo Tellez complained, standing in the alley where Velazquez was shot. He thinks the officers could have used stun guns to subdue a man who was reportedly armed with a knife.

Eyewitness News contacted Chief Smith, and he said Shafter officers do have stun guns, but he could not comment on their use.

Kern County Assistant District Attorney Scott Spielman said, as with many smaller law enforcement agencies, his office will do the criminal investigation into this shooting. Spielman says they'll review interviews, evidence. and reports -- including the coroner's report. He said this process can take several weeks, or could be even more lengthy.

Spielman said the review will be sent to him for a determination on whether criminal charges are appropriate. The D.A.'s office will also send their finished report to the police chief, so that department can complete their administrative investigation.

Medina said the family is surprised at what happened. She said Velazquez had lived in her home for five years, and he was nice to everyone.

The scene of the shooting is close to Golden Oak Elementary, and school district officials told Eyewitness News the campus was put on lock-down during the incident, and that was then lifted when Shafter Police gave the all-clear.

Shafter PD said the three officers who fired their weapons were Sgt. Gustavo Olvera, Sr. Officer Alecio Mora, and Officer Anthony Erwin. They have all been put on leave.

Deputy Chief Brian Smith said that's difficult for the department, because they currently have a staff of 22 officers. The chief also told Eyewitness News the last time Shafter had an officer-involved shooting was in 2012. He said there were two that year, one was fatal and the other resulted in injuries.

Asked if the officers felt threatened when they shot at the suspect on Thursday, Smith said -- according to their statements, yes.

But, neighbors like Eduardo Tellez have questions.

"I feel it was like cowardly," Tellez said, about the officers' actions. "That three, big guys would use that strategy, or like that tactic, to take down a man."