Man Shot to Death by Officer in Drug Raid on Home

An Azusa police officer shot and killed a man Wednesday while serving an early morning search warrant, police said.

The raid by the department SWAT team, narcotics detectives and patrol officers ended a yearlong police and sheriff’s deputies investigation into alleged drug activity at the home on Gladstone Street, said Azusa Police Department Cpl. Randy Phillips.

Within the last two weeks, a resident of the house fired shots at sheriff’s deputies from inside the home, said Sgt. Richard Dinsmoor, a sheriff’s spokesman.

One apparent resident, Ralph Garcia Hernandez, 22, was arrested in the raid, marking his third known arrest on charges of possession of methamphetamine for sale. Hernandez was armed with handguns, Phillips said.

A second man in his 30s, whose identity had not been released late Wednesday afternoon, also was in the house.

“He failed to comply with officers and made a quick movement that looked like he was reaching for a weapon,” Phillips said. “One officer fired several rounds, killing the man.”

Police said that because the investigation is continuing, they could not reveal whether narcotics were found at the scene.

Phillips said the search warrant was endorsed for night service, which means police have the right to search beyond the normal hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Night service endorsement “is used for element of surprise or if they’re generally not there during those hours,” he said.