Anza Man Killed by Deputies Identified

A man who was gunned down by deputies in Anza was identified today.

Merle Godinez, a 60-year-old Anza resident, was shot at 3:10 a.m. and died at 5:50 a.m. at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, according to the sheriff’s coroner’s office.

The sheriff’s department got a call at 12:52 a.m. reporting domestic violence and a shooting inside a house in the 54000 block of West Hills Road, according to sheriff’s Cpl. Courtney Donowho.

Hemet and Temecula deputies rushed to the scene where they found Godinez sitting in his car holding a handgun to his head.

Deputies tried to talk the man into putting the gun down and coming out for more than an hour with no success, the corporal stated in a written announcement.

The deputies called in task forces specializing in this kind of situation, but before they could arrive, Godinez got out of the car and pointed the handgun at deputies, according to Donowho.

The deputies – including two from the Temecula Police Department – opened fire, critically wounding him, said Andre O’Harra, the Temecula Police Department’s chief.

The law enforcers rendered first aid and called the fire department and an ambulance. Godinez was rushed to the Wildomar medical center, where he died, Donowho said.

Nobody but Godinez was hurt in the incident, and the deputies involved were put on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy pending an internal investigation, the corporal said.

An investigation is ongoing. Anybody with information was asked to call the Riverside County Central Homicide Unit at 951-791-3400.