Grover Beach Police release the name of the man shot and killed by an officer on May 25, 2024

GROVER BEACH, Calif. – On Thursday, the Grover Beach Police Department identified Aaron Edward Gardner of Independence, Missouri as the man shot and killed by a Grover Beach Police officer on Saturday, Mar. 25 of this year.

According to the Grover Beach Police Department, Gardner was traveling through California and had outstanding warrants for his arrest in Kansas and Texas at the time of the shooting.

The officer involved in the incident has been identified as Officer Roberto Pulido shared the Grover Beach Police Department.

A Critical Incident Video Briefing has been provided to the public by the Grover Beach Police Department that can be watched here.

The ongoing investigation into the shooting is being handled by the California Department of Justice and is expected to take several months to complete shared the Grover Beach Police Department in a press release.

Assembly Bill 1506 requires officer-involved shootings that result in the death of an unarmed person be investigated by the California Department of Justice since its passage in 2021.

According to the Grover Beach Police Department, Gardner was armed with a replica firearm that was recovered at the scene after the officer-involved shooting.

According to the California Department of Justice, "Replica firearms are not considered deadly weapons unless they are used in some particular manner likely to produce death or great bodily injury (e.g., as a bludgeon)".

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Grover Beach Police Detective Jared Allegranza at 805-473-4511.