The man who was killed early Friday after a shootout with San Bernardino police that left an officer in critical condition was a "good worker" but had a "wild side," the man's former employer said.
Alex Alvarado, 38, was killed at 2 a.m. in San Bernardino, police said. The shootout started after Alvarado shot and critically wounded Officer Gabriel Garcia, who was in a medically induced coma Friday night, according to the Associated Press.
Before police held a vigil outside a hospital for Gacia, hoping he would make a full recovery, a former colleague and neighbors shed light on who Alvarado was.
"He was a good worker, knew what he was doing but had a bit of a wild side in him," said Mark Davis, a mechanic who employed Alvarado to paint cars.
Alvarado had gone through some recent hardships and had been having problems with his family and wife, a neighbor said. Alvarado had an arrest for a weapons violation, DUI grand theft, and assault with a deadly weapon, according to San Bernardino Superior Court records.
Alvarado was described by neighbors as semi-homeless since he broke up with his wife. He sometimes lived in a car and sometimes with a neighbor.
"He looked like he was so depressed yesterday, like he didn't want to live," said the neighbor, who only identified herself as Liz. "He was talking about his wife taking everything from him."
Alvarado opened fire on Garcia who stopped to question him while his rookie partner questioned five others, police said.
Alvarado was shot and killed by Garcia's partner, an unidentified rookie with only months on the job.
