Jose Romero, 39, was killed in an officer-involved shooting on September 4, 2016, in Long Beach, California. Officers from the Long Beach Police Department responded to reports of an armed suicidal man in the 1600 block of Obispo Avenue. The initial call indicated that Romero was attempting "suicide by cop" and was armed with a handgun. Upon arrival, officers set up a perimeter and called for additional resources, including a Mental Evaluation Team and air support, to assess the situation
safely. Romero was observed behaving erratically, and officers attempted to negotiate with him, giving multiple verbal commands to drop his weapon. However, Romero did not comply and instead charged at the officers while holding a large knife.
The confrontation ended in a fatal shooting after Romero approached the officers aggressively with the knife, prompting officers to open fire. Despite immediate life-saving measures by the officers, Romero was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident, as with all officer-involved shootings in Los Angeles County, was subjected to investigations by the Long Beach Police Department Homicide Detail and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to determine the use of force and circumstances leading up to the shooting. An autopsy report confirmed that Romero died due to multiple gunshot wounds, and the toxicology report indicated the presence of ethanol in his system at the time of his death. Neighbors and multiple witnesses described Romero's behavior, with some indicating he intended to provoke the police into using lethal force, consistent with the "suicide by cop" scenario described by officers on the scene (sources: [156](https://da.lacounty.gov), [157](https://www.longbeach.gov/police/archive-news-releases/2016/officer-involved-shooting---1600-block-of-obispo-avenue/)).
The tragic event highlighted the challenges of responding to incidents involving individuals in mental health crises, especially those involving threats of violence or "suicide by cop." Law enforcement's response aimed to de-escalate the situation, but Romero's continued threat ultimately led to the use of lethal force. The investigation into Romero's death remains a part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement and mental health agencies to address how best to respond to such emergencies.
