Moreno Valley, CA: Man shot, killed by police in Moreno Valley had pointed gun at deputies

Desert Sun wire services

A man shot dead by sheriff's deputies during a burglary in Moreno Valley pointed a pistol at them before he was killed, sheriff's officials said today.

Jose Ruiz, 31, of Moreno Valley, was fatally shot around 3 p.m. Feb. 8 at a home at 16-904 Century St., according to the Riverside County Coroner's Office.

Deputies responding to a burglary call found Ruiz hiding in a closet, and when they ordered him to surrender, he pointed a pistol at them, prompting them to shoot him, said sheriff's Sgt. Joe Borja.

Investigators found a loaded handgun near Ruiz, said Borja.

Ruiz was wanted for domestic violence, criminal threats and child endangerment, and had prior convictions, the sergeant said.

One deputy suffered a cut hand, Borja said.