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By MORGAN COOK - mcook@nctimes.com | Posted: Thursday, April 1, 2010 10:26 pm
Police have identified Brandon Byler as the officer who shot and killed a shotgun-wielding Escondido man Tuesday.
Byler, a five-year veteran of Escondido Police Department, shot Randy Wayne Mullins, 25, after police responded to reports of a couple arguing loudly at his home at 349 West 10th Ave., Escondido police Lt. Bob Benton said Thursday.
Police said Mullins was holding a shotgun when he opened the door to two police officers at 3:11 a.m. An officer who responded to the call with Byler grabbed the gun and tried to wrestle it from Mullins. Byler reportedly shot Mullins in the torso because he appeared to be trying to point the gun at him.
Mullins' wife may have witnessed the shooting, police said.
Byler, a patrol officer, was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting, which is standard protocol, Benton said.
Court records suggest Mullins was on probation for misdemeanor crimes in New Mexico and at least two warrants for his arrest were issued in that state this month.
A person who shares Mullins' name and birthday pleaded guilty in a Las Vegas, N.M., court to charges of misdemeanor "driving while license is suspended or revoked," on Sept. 10, 2009, Las Vegas Magistrate court records show.
He was sentenced to seven days in jail and placed on probation, which was slated to end Aug. 9, 2010. The terms of his probation were unclear Thursday.
Mullins pleaded guilty to aggressive driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol Jan. 22, 2007, and was placed on probation, records show. He violated that probation and was required to wear a monitoring device for more than a month.
Mullins pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct Dec. 8, 2008, in Santa Fe, N.M., according to court records. He was placed on unsupervised probation, and an arrest warrant was issued March 3 after he failed to pay court costs.
He was charged in the same court with "battery against a household member" Aug. 2, 2009, but prosecutors could not prove probable cause and he was released.
Mullins was charged with traffic violations and being under the influence of drugs and alcohol in the Santa Fe court on Oct. 2008, but the charges were dismissed Aug. 6, 2009.
Court records show a domestic violence allegation against Mullins in Vista court in Aug. 2004, but details of the case were not available Thursday.
Contact staff writer Morgan Cook at 760-739-6675.
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