Family of man fatally shot during standoff sues Chula Vista police

The family of a retired Navy medic and Iraq war veteran who was fatally shot during a standoff with Chula Vista police last year is suing the department, alleging negligence and wrongful death.

The suit, filed earlier this week in San Diego federal court, also names the department chief and the three officers who fired AR-15s at Carlos Enriquez, 56. His family said he was intoxicated and in a mental health crisis when they called police for help on April 19. Enriquez, who had a gun, was shot 16 times.

Chula Vista officials declined comment on the suit, citing the active litigation.

Earlier this year, Enriquez’s widow, daughter and others joined attorney Eugene Iredale at a news conference to demand that Chula Vista police release to them video footage of the incident. Iredale said Friday the family’s attorneys were subsequently allowed to view the raw footage, but not make copies of it.

Based on that review, Iredale said, the circumstances “demanded” that the family file suit.  A few weeks later, in June, police released a nearly 17-minute video of the encounter.

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