Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Anthony Tovar
Age : 25
Gender : Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 08/09/2023
Location : Boronda, Hyland Dr
City : Salinas
County : Monterey
State : California
Agency : Monterey PD
Officer(s) :Acting Sgt. David Gonzalez; Deputy Cristian Ivan Pantoja
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during home invasion
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 08/08/2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Monterey County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a home on Hyland Drive after a 911 caller reported that an unknown man armed with a knife had forced his way into the residence. According to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office, 25-year-old Anthony Tovar entered the home, confronted the occupants, grabbed a woman and her two-year-old daughter, and forced them into a small bedroom, where he barricaded the door. The woman's husband remained outside the room and called 911. Deputies arrived within approximately four minutes.
Deputies forced entry into the bedroom after hearing the woman screaming. The Monterey County District Attorney identified Acting Sgt. David Gonzalez and Deputy Cristian Ivan Pantoja as the two deputies who fired. Investigators reported that the deputies fired a total of four rounds, all of which struck Tovar in the torso. He died at the scene. The woman and child were not physically injured. Four deputies were placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting, including the two who fired and two witness deputies.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office conducted the criminal investigation. Investigators stated the Monterey County Sheriff's Office did not have body-worn cameras at the time of the shooting, and there were no cameras inside the residence documenting the encounter. The District Attorney reviewed witness interviews, deputy statements, physical evidence, and forensic findings in determining whether the use of deadly force complied with California law.
