Benjamin Pickens Obituary, Shooting Suspect Dead Following Police Dog Identification

Benjamin Pickens Obituary, Death – Last week, law enforcement personnel were involved in a gunshot that occurred in the Clairemont neighborhood. He was also suspected of shooting a K-9 police dog to death. Lt. Joseph Jarjura of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) announced Monday in a press release that Benjamin Pickens, 33, has been identified as the suspect. According to authorities, a gunshot wound was the cause of his demise, and he was murdered. Jarjura stated, “According to the Countywide Memorandum of Understanding, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Unit was dispatched to the scene to investigate the officer-involved shooting.”

According to authorities, the officer who shot the suspect was identified as Addam Ansarie, who is presently assigned to the Western Division and has been with the San Diego Police Department for 11 years. Initially, police responded to the 3500 block of Ben Street on August 2 at 1:23 a.m. in response to gunfire. According to law enforcement, the gunshot suspect, a passenger in a white Tesla sedan, fled the scene where no one was injured.
When officers located the Tesla, the suspect was in the driver’s seat holding a handgun. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspect fled.

The Tesla was discovered on the Mesa College campus, where the armed suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on Mesa College Circle, according to the sheriff’s office. The suspect, who was noncompliant and acting erratically, “made multiple movements, grabbing the gun with his right hand” from underneath his left armpit, according to SDSO. A K-9 officer then deployed Sir, his companion on patrol, toward the suspect, who rotated his body to the right and drew a handgun from his armpit. “Because of this, an officer fired one shot from his rifle, striking the suspect in the upper left portion of his torso.” “The suspect also fired one shot,” said Jarjura.

According to police, Pickens was transported to the hospital, where he subsequently died from his injuries. Sir was struck in the upper right torso and transported to a veterinary clinic, but the dog also succumbed to his wounds. Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Homicide Unit at (858) 285-6330 or (858) 565-5200 after hours. You can remain anonymous by dialing (888) 580-8477 to contact Crime Stoppers.