On June 23, 2026, just after 1 p.m., San Diego Police Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from the manager of an apartment complex in the 1600 Block of 6th Avenue, reporting that a resident had just been assaulted. The apartment manager put the victim on the phone. She said her 32-year-old son, Josue White, was armed with a knife and a baseball bat, and had barricaded himself inside the apartment. After contacting the victim, officers responded to an upper-level apartment, where Josue White had barricaded himself. Officers repeatedly attempted to contact white by telephone. Officers called out to White, ordering him to exit the apartment with nothing in his hands. Despite repeated efforts, officers were never able to establish communication with White. As the standoff continued, White threw household items from the fourth-floor apartment toward officers below. One officer was struck in the face, while two others were forced to take cover.
Multiple household items thrown by White struck and damaged two San Diego police vehicles. At approximately 2:05 p.m., officers observed heavy smoke coming from the apartment. As officers went door-to-door, floor-to-floor, evacuating residents, other officers breached the apartment door.
The door had been barricaded from the inside. A K-9 was deployed into the apartment, but did not locate White, who was hiding in a room with the door closed. As smoke conditions worsened and recognizing the fire’s potential danger to the entire building, officers moved back and requested firefighters. White set fire to the kitchen, causing extensive damage to the apartment with the potential of spreading to other units. San Diego Firefighters began extinguishing the fire as officers provided security. Once inside the apartment, officers found no sign of White, who remained hidden behind a closed door. Due to lingering heavy smoke, officers exited the apartment. The officers deployed a drone and it landed facing a closed door, behind which White was hiding. Officers entered the apartment and breached the closed door. White immediately emerged, advancing toward officers while making stabbing motions with a large knife. Officers Jordan, Steinbach, and Esambolchi discharged their service weapons. Officers immediately provided medical aid to White. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The victim was treated for minor injuries. Two officers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
