Man Shot Dead Following Bizarre Lake Elsinore Rampage is ID'd

LAKE ELSINORE, CA- Coroner's officials have publicly identified a man who was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy when he allegedly tried to attack him with two baseball bats.

According to sheriff's and coroner's officials, 38-year-old Clemente Najeda was fatally shot on Friday night following a bizarre and dangerous rampage that started around 7 p.m.

Sheriff's Deputy Mike Vasquez says that police began to get reports of a man breaking "numerous" car windows on the 100 block of South Poe Street in Lake Elsinore. A sheriff's deputy responded, and found the man described by witnesses. But by that point, the man had apparently moved on to a nearby house, according to Vasquez.

"The suspect had broken several windows and a sliding glass door to a residence with a piece of wood and tried to force entry into the home," Vasquez said. "The occupants of the home confronted the suspect and one of them was struck by the suspect with the piece of wood causing injuries."

The responding officer tried to talk to Najeda and "pleaded with him to surrender," according to Vasquez. But the man apparently refused to do so.

"The officer attempted to subdue the suspect by using pepper spray, which had no effect," he said. "The suspect, armed himself with two baseball bats, and advanced toward the officer and an officer involved shooting occurred."

Najeda was declared dead at the scene. It's not clear if he was on any sort of drugs prior to the incident, and sheriff's officials tell Patch that toxicology results are pending.