VIDEO, OFFICERS NAMES RELEASED IN EL CAJON SHOOTING INCIDENT

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2022 (El Cajon) – The Sheriff’s department has identified the officers involved in  February 16, 2022 shooting incident in El Cajon as deputies David Lovejoy and Jonathan Young. Both are assigned to the Lakeside substation and are currently on administrative assignment while an investigation by El Cajon Police Department continues.

Deputy Lovejoy has been with the Sheriff’s department for over eight years and Young has served there for six years, says Lt. Randy  Soulard with the El Cajon Poice Department.

The Sheriff has released video of the incident, which confirms that the driver, T Erik Talavera, 31, exited the van but failed to comply with commands from deputies. He was shot while lying on the ground, reaching for a weapon he had dropped.

The Sheriff’s deputies responded to a request for help from the Regional Auto Theft Task Force to stop a van pulling a stolen trailer around 10:15 on Feb. 16. In the 1100 block of Decker St. in El Cajon, the deputies conducted a high-risk stop of the van.

The video, which includes graphic footage from multiple angles, reveals that deputies initially mistook the “small black object” in Talavera’s hand for a gun. The footage confirms the suspect did not comply with repeated orders to show his hands and to not reach for the weapon; the suspect instead cursed at officers.

On the ground, Talavera reached for the weapon, which turned out to be a knife. Shot were fired, striking the suspect while he was on the ground. The deputies then used a canine to take the suspect into custody.

According to Lt. Randy Soulard with El Cajon Police, deputies performed life-saving treatment until paramedics arrived and transported the suspect to a hospital, where he was reportedly in stable condition.

A detective from National City Police Dept. also sustained a minor gunshot wound, according to Soulard, but the video does not appear to show this shooting and ECPD has not disclosed how or why the NCPD officer was shot. The detective was treated at a hospital and released.

An investigation into the shooting continues to determine whether it was justified.