A harrowing video shows the moment an unhinged man in California shoots a homemade flamethrower at police.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The San Diego Police Department released the graphic footage on Oct. 15, showing a man clad in only shorts attacking officers with a makeshift flamethrower while inside an adult store. The incident left three officers and a police dog injured.
The suspect, 33-year-old Saul Sandoval Chavez, was shot and killed by officers during the Sept. 16 confrontation, per NBC San Diego.
Officers reportedly responded to calls about a man allegedly attempting to break into vehicles with a metal rod in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. The responding officers reported discovering Chavez in the area, carrying a torch lighter and an aerosol container. The video shows officers in pursuit of the man, while he seems to ridicule the police. The footage also shows several vehicle windshields damaged, allegedly by the suspect.
Video Shows Man Using Makeshift Flamethrower While Cornered in an Adult Store
Eventually, police follow the suspect into the Adult Emporium, where the seemingly unhinged man finally turns the homemade flamethrower on his pursuers. Officers order an employee to run from the business before firing beanbag rounds at Chavez, who ran to a back room of the business. Next, SDPD Canine Unit Officer Kyle Lehr, a ten-year veteran of the department, sent in K-9 Ryder inside the store in an attempt to bring Chavez out.
However, the man allegedly sent the police dog retreating, reportedly using the makeshift flamethrower to burn the animal on its neck and hind legs.
Finally, police rush the suspect, opening fire. One shot seemingly hits the homemade flamethrower, causing a small explosion as the man falls to the store's floor.
From there, other officers are seen rushing inside the store. Some of the police race to extinguish the flames before they get out of hand. Meanwhile, other officers are shown performing life-saving efforts on the wounded suspect. Chavez was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, three officers were treated at the hospital for minor burns on their hands, according to NBC San Diego. K-9 Ryder was treated for burns at a veterinary hospital and released shortly after.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
