Man killed by police after hourslong standoff in Paso Robles identified
PASO ROBLES, Calif. - A Los Angeles area man was killed by law enforcement during a multi-hours standoff in Paso Robles.
The suspect has been identified as Steven Adam Calderon, 32, of Los Angeles. Calderon was killed by police gunfire after barricading himself in a Paso Robles apartment for more than nine hours.
The Paso Robles Police Department-led investigation focused on an apartment building on the 2400 block of Branch Creek Circle after the initial 911 call.
The incident began around 4 p.m. Monday when Calderon allegedly threatened his girlfriend with a handgun and fired the weapon from a balcony at the apartment.
Police and SWAT from the San Luis Obispo Regional team got involved.
Police said Calderon fire multiple times at police while he was barricaded inside the apartment. Eventually, around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, Calderon came out of the apartment.
He initially cooperated with police orders to drop his weapon, but was shot by law enforcement after allegedly lunging for his discarded weapon.
"This situation posed extreme risk to the community and officers," PRPD Chief Ty Lewis said. "Unfortunately, this event ended tragically when the suspect ignored officer commands and reached for his gun. The officers were left with no choice but to defend themselves.”
Paramedics rendered aid to Calderon but he died from his injuries. His handgun was recovered at the scene.
A spokesman for the police department said Calderon was in the area to visit his girlfriend. Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident and will try to piece together what led to the deadly police shooting.
This is the second fatal officer-involved shooting in San Luis Obispo County in 2021. San Luis Obispo police detective Luca Benedetti was killed in the line of duty in May while he and other officers served a search warrant. That gunman was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was hit several times by police gunfire.
