Shootings

Berkeley police release video of officer-involved shooting

CORRECTION: The bodycam of the officer who shot Ricardo Ruiz shut down abruptly before the shooting. It did not appear to be due to anything the officer did, sources familiar with the investigation said.

"This content is disturbing and contains graphic material. Viewer discretion is advised," Berkeley police said.

BPD released the following statement Tuesday about a recent non-fatal police shooting in Berkeley. It appears below in full with minor edits. The Scanner will continue to follow the story.

On April 13, at approximately 6:50 a.m., the Berkeley Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a possible domestic disturbance in the 1900 block of McGee Avenue.

The caller reported hearing a woman screaming and believed she was being assaulted. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the apartment’s occupants.

After receiving no response for several minutes and out of concern for the woman’s safety, they began to force entry.

The man inside, later identified as 33-year-old Ricardo Ruiz, threatened to shoot officers and indicated he could see them via exterior security cameras.

Officers disabled two cameras for safety, after which Ruiz racked a shotgun and made threats to use lethal force against officers.

About 25 minutes after officers first knocked on the suspect’s door, Ruiz opened the steel security door and pointed what officers described as a black pistol with a tactical light in the officer’s direction. Ruiz then retreated back into the apartment.

At approximately 7:42 a.m., Ruiz opened the door, pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the officers again, and was shot by an officer.

After being shot, Ruiz retreated into his apartment and later collapsed just outside the now-open steel security door.

A woman exited the apartment and knelt next to Ruiz. Officers moved in and brought the woman to safety.

Two trained SWAT medics immediately began rendering medical aid on Ruiz until Berkeley Fire Department paramedics arrived and took Ruiz to the hospital.

A shotgun loaded with slugs and a high-powered air rifle loaded with metal pellets were recovered at the scene.

The officer who discharged his firearm, striking Ruiz, was equipped with a body-worn camera (BWC), however, it had been inadvertently deactivated earlier in the critical incident.

Our department contacted Axon, the camera’s manufacturer, in an effort to recover any additional footage, but it was determined no further data was available.

All other officers on scene had active body-worn cameras during the shooting. However, neither those cameras nor fixed cameras in the area captured a view of Ruiz the second time he exited his apartment and pointed a firearm at officers.

This incident is being investigated by the Berkeley Police Department’s Homicide Division and Internal Affairs.

Per standard protocol, the Berkeley Police Department notified and consulted with the offices of the Alameda County District Attorney and the Attorney General regarding this incident.

The suspect was later released from the hospital and booked into county jail.

On April 18, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed multiple felony charges against the suspect to include: PC 245(c), assault on a peace officer; PC 417(c), exhibiting a firearm in the presence of an officer (12 counts); PC 29805(a), unlawful firearm activity and PC 29825(a) unlawful firearm activity; along with numerous felony enhancements.

CORRECTION, 4:40 p.m. The bodycam of the officer who shot Ruiz shut down abruptly before the shooting. It did not appear to be due to anything the officer did, sources familiar with the investigation said shortly after publication. The Scanner will continue to seek details about what happened, which will be part of the ongoing investigation.