Ruben Ollarzabal Chairez : “Man Killed in Officer Shooting Identified”

Authorities have revealed the identity of the man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting that took place on Tuesday evening in Edinburg, Texas.

According to reports from local news outlet ValleyCentral, the incident unfolded when deputies responded to a distressing 911 call from a woman who reported that her father-in-law had allegedly stabbed her mother-in-law. The deputies quickly arrived at the scene, located at the 6600 block of West Drive in rural Edinburg, where they encountered a man holding a knife and refusing to comply with their commands to drop it.

The man, later identified as 51-year-old Ruben Ollarzabal Chairez, reportedly ignored the deputies’ orders and continued to hold onto the knife. Despite repeated attempts to subdue Chairez using less-lethal methods such as rubber shotgun rounds and a taser, the officers were unsuccessful in their efforts.

At a critical moment, Chairez reportedly lunged at the deputies and even threw the knife in their direction, prompting the officers to open fire and ultimately fatally strike him. Chief Deputy Mario Lopez explained during a press conference that the decision to use deadly force was made as a last resort due to the escalating threat posed by Chairez.

Further investigations revealed that Chairez had allegedly threatened to kill his wife during a prior incident of family violence earlier in the year. Despite the distressing nature of the situation, the victim in this case fortunately did not sustain any physical injuries, contrary to initial reports.

Following standard protocols, all five deputies involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave as an internal investigation is conducted to review any potential policy violations. The deputies’ collective experience ranges from one to eight years of service, and none of them sustained injuries during the confrontation with Chairez.