EspañolSan Diego County Sheriff’s Department Veteran Allegedly Shot Passenger During Traffic Stop
SAN YSIDRO, CALIFORNIA (August 19, 2026) – One person was injured in a San Ysidro police shooting during a traffic stop involving a suspected stolen vehicle.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officials are saying that the incident occurred around 7:00 AM on July 29. A police officer spotted a vehicle they believed to be stolen by an apartment complex at the intersection of Del Sur Boulevard and Beyer Boulevard.
An officer involved attempted to pull over the vehicle. However, that driver allegedly did not stop and moved toward the officer.
The officer involved discharged their service weapon, but ended up striking the passenger in the vehicle. Though the driver was originally detained, that person did not end up being arrested.
A full investigation into the use-of-force incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for San Diego Police Shootings
Police officers have a legal obligation to use the least amount of force necessary for any given encounter. Claims involving police shootings during any traffic stop will typically be evaluated under the Fourth Amendment. Federal law requires that any use of force is objectively reasonable given the totality of circumstances that an officer encounters. According to 42 U.S. Code § 1983, every person who, under the color of law, deprives someone of their rights afforded under the Constitution shall be liable to the injured party in an action at law. Courts will consider numerous pieces of evidence when evaluating police shootings.
- Body Cameras: All of the body camera footage captured by responding officers will be taken into consideration.
- Dispatch Recordings: Another important piece of evidence is any dispatch recordings or 911 calls that relate to the officers involved.
- Physical Evidence: Any physical evidence left at the scene, including firearms, can help investigators reconstruct what actually took place.
- Training Materials: It should be determined whether or not the officers involved followed written use-of-force policies related to their department.
When a police officer uses excessive force and needlessly injures someone during a traffic stop, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. Consider, for example, Barnes v. Felix, a 2025 U.S. Supreme Court case. An officer stopped a driver who was suspected of violating a toll. Once the vehicle involved began moving, that officer opened fire and shot. The suspect later died. The US Supreme Court held that the reasonableness of the shooting must be evaluated by taking into consideration the full totality of the circumstances that led up to the incident.
Steps to Take After a San Diego County Police Shooting
Far too many people are seriously injured or killed each year in preventable police shootings across California and the United States. The California Department of Justice estimated that there were 619 instances of force that resulted in serious bodily injury or death for the year 2025 alone. It is important that a number of different actions are taken after any police shooting in the state of California.
- Victims should seek medical treatment as early as possible. Many of the injuries associated with a police shooting are not going to be immediately obvious.
- Any person that may have witnessed the incident should be interviewed as early as possible, while their memories are still fresh.
- All of the medical records associated with this incident should be collected for review.
- Victims of excessive force should carefully consider their legal options with a team experienced in civil rights claims.
Preserving original files and incident reports related to a police shooting can go a long way towards determining what actually happens. Even if a police officer’s use of force seems justified in the moment, it may not have been given the totality of circumstances that an officer encountered. Unfortunately, police departments are not likely to accept responsibility when one of their officers injures someone. Any person injured due to the excessive force of the police may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating San Diego County Police Shootings
We at the Carrillo Law Firm were very concerned to hear about this police shooting in San Ysidro. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many important safety questions need to be answered.
Do you need more information about a San Ysidro police shooting? Our team of civil rights advocates is here for you. We care deeply that victims of police brutality are aware of their rights and that law-enforcement agencies are held accountable for their misconduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we’re here to help you. You’re always welcome to contact us anytime at 626-799-9375.
