Oceanside Burglary Suspect Kills Himself When Cornered

A burglary suspect cornered Monday in an Oceanside pawn shop shot himself fatally in the head after firing at them, Oceanside police said Monday.

Paul Duffield, 25, a deaf-mute transient who sometimes lived in Oceanside or downtown San Diego, was dead on arrival at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside.

Monday morning, several burglar alarms went off and noises were heard in businesses in the 200 block of North Hill Street. Police responded at 7:30 a.m. but were unable to find any evidence of a burglary.

However, the noises continued and the burglar alarms went off again, and police began a search, according to Sgt. Bill Krunglevich.

About 9 a.m., Duffield was seen on the roof of a shop. He disappeared, then was seen in an alley window, Krunglevich said.

“Both times, he ducked out of sight when he saw the officers,” Krunglevich said. “He moved very quickly from one business to another, either through the basements or the rooftops.”

Confronted Inside Shop

About 9:45 a.m., officers confronted Duffield inside a pawn shop. Duffield fired four shots at the officers with a .45-caliber automatic pistol, then ducked behind a counter, police said.

Police identified Duffield as a suspect in other burglaries as they confronted him behind the counter.

Officers said Duffield held a pistol at his head as he motioned the officers to call off a police dog. Then Duffield indicated he was thirsty, police said.

“While one of the officers was getting a coke out of the vending machine, there was a loud noise--a guitar case fell on him or near him, and he shot himself in the head,” Krunglevich said.