Police identify Gilroy man killed in post office shootout with officers

Gilroy police have identified a man shot and killed by an officer early Wednesday morning as David Lopez, a 40-year-old resident of the city.

Lopez had previously been identified as a suspect in an Aug. 31 shooting in the 8500 block of Wren Avenue in Gilroy. Following the shooting — in which one person was shot multiple times but survived — police obtained an arrest warrant for Lopez for attempted murder.

Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Gilroy police received a 911 call from a man who identified himself as Lopez and claimed he would wait for the police unarmed but intoxicated at the Gilroy Post Office at 100 Fourth St., police said.

Upon arrival at the post office, police said an officer instructed Lopez to lie on the ground, but that he instead began shooting at the officer with a handgun. The officer began to return fire, at which point police allege that Lopez discarded his initial weapon and pulled out a second handgun that he began to fire.

The shootout lasted less than one minute, during which time a combined seven rounds were fired, police said. Lopez suffered at least one gunshot wound and was later pronounced dead, while the officer was unharmed.

The shooting is being investigated by the Gilroy Police Department’s Investigations Bureau and Internal Affairs Division, along with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Christopher Silva at (408) 846-0335 or to call an anonymous tip line at (408) 846-0330.

Bay City News

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