ID of man shot, killed by police in NE El Paso released

El Paso Police have identified the man shot and killed by police Thursday morning as 22-year-old David Alejandro Gandara of the 10100 block of Whitetail.

Shots were fired in Northeast El Paso at about 8:18 a.m. Thursday behind the Rushfair Pointe shopping center in the 5100 block of Fairbanks, near Rushing.

Police say that Gandara, who was possibly suicidal, was holding a rifle or shotgun to his own head, when police arrived.

As officers responded, they advised police dispatch to notify a nearby elementary school to lock down.

The officers also met with daycare employees and advised them to lock down while two other officers went behind the business to look for the man.

Police say that as the two patrol officers rounded the building they were confronted by the man.

Police say he continuously ignored officers’ commands and attempted to retrieve a firearm.

One officer – a six-year veteran and the other – and the other, on the force for five months, fired at the man who died at the scene.

El Paso Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Mears said the man had been banging on the door of the daycare and this could have been a much more tragic situation.

At least a dozen children were inside the daycare when this happened.

There are three on-going investigations into this shooting. One by the Crimes Against Persons unit; one by the Texas Rangers; and one by the El Paso Police Department’s Shooting Review Team.

As is customary in officer-involved shootings, the completed investigation will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office who will present the case to a grand jury.

The involved officers will be placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

This is the second officer-involved shooting this month.