POLICE SHOOTING SHOCKS FAMILY

Raisin City dairyman's family can't believe he was part of a drug deal.

The man killed Tuesday night during an undercover drug buy was a Raisin
City dairyman who lived a simple life with his wife and children, say
family and friends.

"We can't believe it," said Armando Jurado, a foreman at Fred Rau Dairy,
where Isaias Alvarez, 51, worked for at least 25 years. "He was a hard
worker and a good family man."

Fresno police said Wednesday three officers had no choice but to shoot
Alvarez when he reached for a Colt .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol.

"The officers shouted, 'Police, police, put your hands where we can see
them,'" Lt. John Fries said. "Instead, he Alvarez reached for his gun and
the officers fired."

News of Alvarez's death stunned co-workers and brought tears to the eyes of
his wife, Elena, and to those of his eight children. Relatives confirmed
the pistol was registered to Alvarez, but contend he would never shoot a
police officer with it.

"He's not stupid," said family spokesman Jose Betancourt, 22, a son-in-law.
"Who's going to shoot a cop with a registered gun?"

Witnesses heard five to seven shots, but police and the Fresno County
Coroner's Office won't say how many times Alvarez was struck.

"The police need to apologize for what they did," said the slain man's son,
Pablo Alvarez, 22. "They shot him eight times. That's bull. That's overkill."

Betancourt and Pablo Alvarez also questioned the police investigation. If
Isaias Alvarez was such a big time drug dealer, then why haven't officers
searched his home?

"We have nothing to hide," Pablo Alvarez said. "We want a full investigation."

Fries said an investigation into the shooting is not completed and that the
officers who fired their weapons are on paid administrative leave. Their
names have not been released.

The District Attorney's Office is conducting a separate inquiry.

Though many details have not been made public, Fries did confirm Isaias
Alvarez's pistol was loaded. It hasn't been determined whether he fired it,
because an officer's bullet penetrated the magazine of Isaias Alvarez's
pistol, exploding a cartridge and jamming the weapon.

Fries said 2 pounds of methamphetamine were recovered. Isaias Alvarez's
suspected partner, Margarita Ortiz, 54, has been booked into jail on
charges of possession for sales of methamphetamine.

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the Days Inn near Freeway 99
and Jensen Avenue, south of Fresno.

Since the second week of August, undercover officers had been negotiating
to purchase 2 pounds of methamphetamine, Fries said. Initially, the
suspects wanted the drug buy "to take place in the boondocks." But
narcotics officers wanted to avoid a potential ambush and chose the Days
Inn site because it is well lighted and in an open space.

Around 8:45 p.m., Alvarez and Ortiz drove a gray Oldsmobile to meet
undercover officers in back of the motel. When officers saw the drugs near
Alvarez's feet, they signaled to six to 10 officers in an arrest team,
Fries said. The team wore black raid vests identifying them as police
officers. Ortiz, outside the car, was arrested without incident. Alvarez
was shot inside the car as he reached for his pistol on the seat next to
him, Fries said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A day later, Alvarez's friends and relatives talked openly about a man who
loved his family, his job and gardening.

An unmarked dirt road off Hayes Avenue leads to his home -- a doublewide,
three-bedroom trailer where he owned three older model vehicles, raised
chickens and loved to plant apple trees.

Relatives confirmed Alvarez knew Ortiz, but said they weren't close
friends. They said the Oldsmobile was not his.

Little is known about Ortiz, other than she once operated a restaurant in
Caruthers. Efforts to find her family and friends have been unsuccessful.

At Fred Rau Dairy, co-workers said Isaias Alvarez worked as in irrigation
specialist seven days a week.

"He was dependable and well-liked," Jurado said. "The reason we're
surprised is because he made good money, enough money to buy a home and
raise a family."

Alvarez went to work Tuesday, but during his shift, Ortiz came by and
talked to him, co-workers said. Jurado waited for Alvarez to show up
Wednesday, but soon learned that he was dead.

"We are like family here," Jurado said. "He was a good friend and we're
going to miss him."

Bee staff writer Louis Galvan contributed to this report.