Gregory Fitzgerald Obituary, Death; – Following the shooting incident on Monday, in which a San Joaquin County deputy fatally shot a man believed to be armed, the California Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into the matter.
The incident occurred near the intersection of East Ardelle Avenue and South Walker Lane, just outside the boundaries of Stockton.
Family and friends of the deceased are seeking clarity regarding the events that transpired. The victim has been identified by relatives as 41-year-old Gregory Fitzgerald, a father of four. The initial encounter between Fitzgerald and the deputies took place at Eastside Community Park. San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow reported that deputies approached Fitzgerald around 9 a.m. on Monday due to illegal dumping.
“Conversations were exchanged, leading to a brief struggle with the officer. Fitzgerald then fled, shouting that he was armed and intended to shoot the officer,” Withrow stated. He further explained that Fitzgerald led deputies on a foot pursuit along Ardelle Avenue. By approximately 11:14 a.m., sheriff’s deputies had cordoned off the area where Fitzgerald was hiding, ultimately locating him on the roof of a residence.
At that point, he was shot by at least one deputy. The sheriff’s office has not disclosed the number of shots fired or how many deputies were involved in the shooting.
A woman, who requested anonymity, shared that she was friends with Fitzgerald and was present when the deputies arrived. “They claimed he was rummaging through trash, but I was with him at the time, and he was actually retrieving clothes for work. I believe it’s crucial to clarify that he wasn’t merely digging through trash,” she remarked.
Myla Fitzgerald and Shadie Aragon, his younger sisters, characterized him as a gentle giant, noting his kind nature. On Monday, they received a phone call from their brother, leading them to believe he was calling to commemorate their mother’s birthday, which had occurred the previous day, eight years after her passing. The reality of the situation, they expressed, was deeply shocking.
“We were both at work when we were told, and he just let us know that the police had shot and killed our brother,” Myla said.
The biggest question from family and friends is whether or not Fitzgerald was armed. The sheriff’s office has not been able to answer that question. “How did it lead to that and why did they have to use so much force for one person?” Shadie said. “There was no weapon in sight. I don’t understand,” Myla added.
The family said they will continue to look for answers. “I wish my brother wouldn’t have been shot. I wish he would have just been arrested or it would have been dealt with differently,” Shadie said. The investigation is with the Attorney General’s Office, who said it is still very active.
The attorney general noted it would be investigating the shooting under Assembly Bill 1506. AB 1506 states that the California Department of Justice is “required to investigate all incidents of an officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state.”
