By Kim Minugh, Bill Lindelof and Dan Hill
kminigh@sacbee.com
Law enforcement officials say that the man killed in Rancho Cordova on Monday by Rancho Cordova police was shot after hitting officers with inordinate strength.
A press statement by the police department said that the man was large of stature and had begun to overpower the officers when one of the officers drew his service handgun and shot him at least one time in the upper body.
The officers immediately called for medical assistance, but the man later died. He was identified this morning as 35-year-old Paul Tereshchenko of Sacramento.
The officers suffered minor-to-moderate injuries as a result of being struck by Tereshchenko.
The incident began about 5 p.m. when officers were called to the single-family home in the 3400 block of Nut Plains Drive. An initial report to police indicated that a man was "acting bizarre and exhibiting erratic behavior" toward his family in the house.
Family members wanted him out. But Tereshchenko refused to leave, police said.
The two patrol officers arrived and were directed to a bedroom where they began to talk with the man.
The officers initially attempted to detain him for mental health professionals and weren't arresting him, said police spokesman Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Ramos.
The officers explained that to Tereshchenko, who nonetheless became combative, Ramos said. An officer unsuccessfully attempted to control him by deploying a Taser.
"The majority of the physical altercation took place" after that, Ramos said.
Ramos said both officers were struck several times. Fearing for his safety and that of his partner, a press release said, one of the officers ended the confrontation by shooting Tereshchenko.
The incident will be investigated by the sheriff's homicide bureau and professional standards division. The officer involved in the shooting is assigned to patrol services under the law enforcement contract between the sheriff's department and the Rancho Cordova.
He is a 13-year veteran of the sheriff's department, and will be placed on leave pending the department's investigation.
This post was updated by Bee staff writer Kim Minugh.
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