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DOWNTOWN: SDPD officers shoot armed man wanted for robbery

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Posted at 7:10 PM, Jun 27, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-28 19:19:57-04

UPDATE: Sunday, June 28 - 2:01 p.m.

The San Diego Police Department has identified the suspect who was shot by two uniformed police officers Saturday night.

In a release sent Sunday, Lt. Matt Dobbs said the suspect has been identified as Leonardo Hurtado Ibarra, 25, of San Diego.

Ibarra remains in the Intensive Care Unit with life- threatening injuries, according to Dobbs.

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SAN DIEGO (KGTV ) -- Two San Diego Police Department officers have been placed on paid leave after they shot and wounded a man who pointed a gun at one of the officers during a confrontation in downtown Saturday night.

According to witnesses, shots rang out around 6 p.m. near the corner of 6th Avenue and B Street, a few blocks east of the San Diego Civic Center.

SDPD said that officers spotted a man wanted in connection with a robbery that happened earlier this week.

Police said officers tried to talk with the man but he walked away. The man then dropped some items from his arms and "reached into his waistband."

"He produced a handgun and then pointed it at the officers" said SDPD Capt. Rich Freedman. "For fear that they were going to be shot, the officers return fire."

A gun has been recovered from the scene, police said.

Police said the man was wounded and transported to a hospital with unknown injuries. According to police, the man was having surgery late Saturday night.

The man was described as a 25-year-old Hispanic male. SDPD said he was wanted for a robbery that happened June 21.

SDPD tweeted a grainy still image taken from a nearby surveillance camera showing at least one officer with their gun drawn and a man dressed in red pointing an object at the officer. The object the man is holding isn't clear in the photograph. A second officer is also seen in the still image.

Police also tweeted a second photo asserting to be the gun that was recovered from the scene. The photo shows a camouflage-print cloth swaddled around a wooden handgun grip.

Protesters gathered in the area, yelling at officers and holding signs demanding justice.

"We are asking for them to be who they say they are which is trust transparency building relationships, and we have not seen that yet," said activist Tasha Williamson. "That is why we are out here by the hundreds and the thousands and we’re going to continue to be out here."

The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave while the investigation is conducted, which is standard protocol.