Suspect armed with baseball bats killed in Lake Elsinore officer-involved shooting

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Lake Elsinore Friday night.

Authorities said around 7 p.m. an officer from the Lake Elsinore Police Department responded to the 100 block of South Poe Street on reports of a man breaking several car windows.

When the officer arrived, he found the suspect in the 300 block of West Heald Street. Authorities said the suspect broke windows and a sliding glass door of a home with a piece of wood and tried to gain entry into it.

The officer then tried talking to the suspect, asking him to surrender, but the person refused, authorities said.

The officer used pepper spray to try and subdue the suspect, but it had no effect, authorities said. The man, who was armed with two baseball bats, then began moving toward the officer and an officer-involved shoot occurred.

Paramedics were called to the scene, but the suspect was pronounced dead. He was identified as Lake Elsinore resident Clemente Najeda, 38. The officer was not injured in the shooting.

The investigation was ongoing.

Anyone with more information was asked to call Central Homicide Investigator Paz at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Cornett at (951) 245-3300.