Man shot by police in Carmel Mountain theater pleads guilty

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A man who was shot by police inside a Carmel Mountain Ranch movie theater after he confronted his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint at a nearby restaurant where she worked pleaded guilty Thursday to four charges, including assault with a firearm on a police officer and making criminal threats.

Tom Billodeaux, 22, of Escondido faces more than 24 years in prison when he is sentenced April 8.

At 2:22 p.m. on Jan. 12, Billodeaux confronted his ex-girlfriend in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 11100 block of Carmel Mountain Road, Carmel Mountain Ranch police Lt. Ernie Herbert said.

Officers arrived to find that Billodeaux had fled the scene. Witnesses reported the man was armed with a handgun and had run across Rancho Carmel Drive to another shopping center, Herbert said.

The defendant’s ex-girlfriend was able to get away with the help of co- workers and others who witnessed the confrontation, police said.

Officers tracked Billodeaux to the Reading Cinemas Carmel Mountain 12 movie theater and later found the suspect sitting alone in a theater where a movie was playing.

Billodeaux initially complied with verbal commands to determine if he was armed, but the suspect then lowered his hands into his lap, raised a handgun and turned it toward an officer, police said.

Officer Addam Ansari opened fire, striking the defendant in the chest and arm. A second officer was present but did not fire his weapon, police said. No one else was injured.