Huntington Beach

Man Identified in Police Shooting During U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach

A man with a gun was shot and killed by police south of the Huntington Beach Pier.

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A police shooting in Huntington Beach during the U.S. Open of Surfing left a man dead Saturday.

Authorities received reports about a man with a gun around 3:15.p.m. near the city's iconic pier. The man did not respond to commands from officers, according a police statement.

Officers then opened fire. CPR was performed on the wounded man before he was taken to a hospital where he died.

The Coroner’s Division identified the man as Ronnie Andrew Garcia, 43. Details about his place of residence were not immediately available.

A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.

Thousands of people that were in town during the weekend for the U.S. Open of Surfing. The event had finished for the day and athletes and spectators had dispersed from the area, police said.

Witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots. People were seen leaving the area immediately. 

A photo showed a man lying on the sand with at least five officers surrounding him. Two officers seen with guns drawn. First aid equipment was piled on the sand, where the man was shot, right in front of Sandy’s Beach Shack, along the pier. 

A large portion of the beach was taped off, from the pier on Main Street, to a little behind the lifeguard headquarters.

The U.S. Open continued Sunday as scheduled.

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