The victim, 30-year-old Joshua Adam Sisson (pictured), was allegedly holding a large kitchen knife to his boyfriend’s neck before fleeing the scene of the domestic dispute.
Officer Richard Butera caught up with the man on Sixth Avenue in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood.
Despite the officer’s request, Sisson didn’t stop running, instead pointing the knife at Butera “in an aggressive stance.”
The office claims he feared for his safety and shot Sisson once in the chest.
He died at a hospital on Saturday.
Sisson, who was wanted for a parole violation, was employed at Camp Pendleton and studied computer science at California College San Diego.
His mother has launched a GoFundMe page to have his remains returns to Pennsylvania for burial.
“He was only 30,” his mother writes. “Contrary to the media reports he was a wonderful young man and overcame many obstacles…I need help bringing him home to Pennsylvania and giving him the burial he deserves.”
Footage of the shooting captured on Butera’s body cam have yet to be released.
On June 1, 2013, Butera fatally shot Giacomo James Cargnoni, 21, who was accused of holding a gun to another man’s head. Police said the suspect, crouching behind a car door, appeared to be pointing a weapon at officers when Butera felled him with two shotgun blasts. Officers said Cargnoni was holding a folding knife with a 3-inch blade.
Less than a year later, on Jan. 26, 2014, Butera shot and killed Aaron Devenere, who had claimed to have explosives while holding a driver hostage. After the truck was stopped, Butera, following orders, shot Devenere in the head with a rifle as Devenere twisted the woman’s head while she screamed and struggled.
On Monday, a protest was staged in front of the San Diego police department in the hopes of calling attention to their numerous fatal shootings.
Watch NBC 7’s report below.
