SAN DIEGO — Authorities Friday released video footage of a law enforcement shooting that fatally wounded a double-homicide suspect last month on a Little Italy roadside.
The images, captured by officers' uniform-worn cameras and several bystanders' cellphones, show Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department personnel exchanging gunfire with 26-year-old ex-security guard Christopher Farrell on the morning of Nov. 13. In addition to killing Farrell, the volley of shots left an officer with a non-fatal bullet wound.
The deadly shootout took place less than an hour after Farrell allegedly gunned down a former girlfriend and her husband as the couple was sitting in a car in the 1300 block of Union Street, near the downtown San Diego County courthouse.
The victims, Rachael Martinez, 31, and 39-year-old Jose Medina, died at the scene.
Following the fatal gunfire, Farrell allegedly fled to the north on Ash Street, reloading his gun as he went.
About 45 minutes later, as a police helicopter circled overhead broadcasting a description of the shooter over a loudspeaker system, a bystander flagged down harbor police officers in the area of Kettner Boulevard and West Juniper Street and directed them to a possible suspect, later identified as Farrell.
As four officers approached Farrell -- who was behind a large electrical box, seemingly intending to use it as a shield -- he allegedly opened fire on them.
Two of the officers returned fire, mortally wounding Farrell.
Less than 90 seconds elapsed from the time the personnel addressed Farrell to the shootout, SDPD Lt. Jud Campbell said.
Officer Patrick Lynch, who had been with the harbor police department for two months and was undergoing field training at the time of the shootout, was taken to a trauma center for treatment of a bullet wound to his left thigh. He did not fire his weapon during the encounter with Farrell, Campbell said.
At the spot where Farrell allegedly fired on the lawmen, detectives found a semiautomatic handgun, shell casings, folding knives and an empty ammunition magazine on the ground, the lieutenant said. During the fatal encounter, the suspect had a knife sheath on the belt of his pants and three more magazines clipped to one of his pants pockets.
Authorities soon determined that the slain woman had recently filed a police report accusing Farrell of domestic violence, including false imprisonment and sex crimes, Campbell said.
Investigating officers subsequently contacted Farrell, who worked for a security services company that contracts with San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, at an MTS office at 1600 Newton Ave. in Barrio Logan and arrested him.
Farrell's employers then fired him and confiscated his work gun.
On Nov. 7, Martinez was granted a temporary restraining order against Farrell, though it remains unclear if he was served with it. A hearing in the case was scheduled for the day of the double homicide, according to police.
Investigators believe that Martinez and Medina had gone the location where they were slain to attend the restraining-order hearing.