SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As local veterans mourn the loss of one of their own, killed in an officer-involved shooting, they also begin their search for answers. If nothing else, they hope to help change the way combat veterans are treated in moments of distress.
"This is what we would put as a marker for a gravesite in battle," said Livier Lazaro, pointing at the battlefield cross set up in Carlos Enriquez's honor, complete with boots, a weapon, kevlar and dog tags.
Lazaro said Enriquez was a man who's life was defined by his dedicated to this country.
"I did 20 (years), and (Enriquez) was always telling me how he lasted longer than me. 24 (years)," said Lazaro, Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Don Diego Post No. 7420 in Barrio Logan.
After 24 years in the military, Enriquez retired as a Chief Navy Corpsman.
"He was a war hero, but wars leave scars," Lazaro said. "Psychological scars."
Lazaro said, like many who return home from war, Enriquez suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She said he was never violent, which is why she was shocked at the news she received early in the morning on April 19.
"I know he definitely had mental health crisis," Lazaro said.
Chula Vista Police responded to a family disturbance in Bonita, which ended in an officer-involved shooting. San Diego Police is now the investigating agency.
It said Enrique exited a home with his hands in his pockets, eventually dropping a firearm on the front steps. After ordering Enriquez to walk away, police said he sat down and grabbed the weapon.
Officers first fired at him with a beanbag shotgun. Enriquez fell, dropped his gun, then picked it up and police said he aimed it at the officers.
That's when an agent and two officers with the Chula Vista Police Department shot and killed Enriquez.
"Is there anything we can learn to prevent this from happening to anyone, but especially a combat veteran?" Lazaro asked.
That's a question Lazaro and others are hoping to have answered with this press release shared with ABC 10News Tuesday.
VFW Press Release 5/6/25 by Pat Mueller on Scribd
The Don Diego Post No. 7420 is calling for Chula Vista Police to release all body camera footage from the day of Enriquez's death, which state law (Assembly Bill 748) says has to be done within 45 days.
It also wants SDPD to conduct a "thorough and objective investigation."
Above all, it hopes to open up a conversation surrounding the use of current de-escalation tactics with combat veterans.
"We need something designed specifically for us because we don't want to get killed," said Johnny Odom, Ret. Sgt. First Class for US Army. "We don't want to die in these engagements. What we want is help."
"Protocols were called, you know, and even if we don't like them, we might have to accept those as well," Lazaro said. "We just, we want to know the truth and we want to see it from all angles."
ABC 10News reached out to Chula Vista Police and San Diego Police for comment. CVPD directed us to SDPD since that is the investigating agency.
SDPD sent this statement:
"Officer involved shooting investigations are the most transparent investigations that we do. We have a well-established process in our county to ensure the investigations are conducted in the most thorough and impartial way possible. When Homicide completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. The Chula Vista Police Department will conduct an administrative investigation into the officer’s discharge of their firearm. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office will also be monitoring the investigation."
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