Berkeley officers shoot suspect who aimed a gun and threatened to shoot police

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Berkeley, CA - On April 13, at approximately 6:50 a.m., the Berkeley Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a possible domestic disturbance in the 1900 block of McGee Avenue.

The caller reported hearing a woman screaming and believed she was being assaulted. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the apartment’s occupants.

After receiving no response for several minutes and out of concern for the woman’s safety, they began to force entry.

The man inside, later identified as 33-year-old Ricardo Ruiz, threatened to shoot officers and indicated he could see them via exterior security cameras.

Officers disabled two cameras for safety, after which Ruiz racked a shotgun and made threats to use lethal force against officers.

About 25 minutes after officers first knocked on the suspect’s door, Ruiz opened the steel security door and pointed what officers described as a black pistol with a tactical light in the officer’s direction. Ruiz then retreated back into the apartment.

At approximately 7:42 a.m., Ruiz opened the door, pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the officers again, and was shot by an officer.

After being shot, Ruiz retreated into his apartment and later collapsed just outside the now-open steel security door.

A woman exited the apartment and knelt next to Ruiz. Officers moved in and brought the woman to safety.

Two trained SWAT medics immediately began rendering medical aid on Ruiz until Berkeley Fire Department paramedics arrived and took Ruiz to the hospital.

A shotgun loaded with slugs and a high-powered air rifle loaded with metal pellets were recovered at the scene.

The officer who discharged his firearm, striking Ruiz, was equipped with a body-worn camera (BWC), however, it had been inadvertently deactivated earlier in the critical incident.

Our department contacted Axon, the camera’s manufacturer, in an effort to recover any additional footage, but it was determined no further data was available.

All other officers on scene had active body-worn cameras during the shooting. However, neither those cameras nor fixed cameras in the area captured a view of Ruiz the second time he exited his apartment and pointed a firearm at officers.

The suspect was later released from the hospital and booked into county jail.