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DSA In the News

Victim of shooting disabled


Christopher Calvache, the 30-year-old San Francisco resident shot dead Tuesday night in Hillsborough, was on permanent disability after breaking his neck years ago, said a family friend who wished to remain anonymous.

The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy yesterday but will not reveal the cause of Calvache’s death for another two weeks after toxicology reports are completed, according to Coroner Robert Foucrault.

Meanwhile, his alleged killer, 30-year-old Bradley Kleiman, is being arraigned today in San Mateo County Superior Court on murder charges.

Kleiman called police himself and admitted shooting his longtime friend Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in a pool house on De Salba Road in Hillsborough.

Police were told by Kleiman that Calvache pulled out a gun first before the shooting took place.

Only one gun was found at the scene.

The state Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are helping police determine who the gun owner was, said Hillsborough police Capt. Mark O’Connor.

Calvache was born in Corpus Christi, Texas to Patricia Kelly of Orinda and Gustavo Calvache from Equador, the family friend said.

The family moved to California when Calvache was a baby and settled in Woodside when he was in elementary school. He last lived in San Francisco.

Kleiman has a long criminal history, ranging from driving without a license, vandalism, narcotics possession and assault with serious injuries, O’Connor said.

The two men were apparently home alone in the pool house where Kleiman lives. The building is detached from the main five-bedroom home at De Salba Road and Sherwood Court and is owned by his father, Steven, a San Mateo lawyer.

Police found three shell casings on the scene.

At least 10 Hillsborough police officers have been assigned to the case and the department has issued several search warrants to find out who owned the gun.

Police had blood drawn from Kleiman at the scene to determine whether he may have been intoxicated or on drugs when the shooting took place.

Three shots were fired and police suspect the first round struck Calvache, a San Francisco resident, in the head, O’Connor said.

Calvache was pronounced dead at the scene and Kleiman was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was booked into San Mateo County Jail Wednesday morning.

The shooting was “tragic” but isolated, O’Connor said.

The last murder in Hillsborough was Priscilla Ng in June 2004. That case was never solved.

It was the third homicide in San Mateo County in six days. David Lewis, 54, a prominent community leader in East Palo Alto was shot dead last Wednesday, June 9, in San Mateo at the Hillsdale Shopping Center. John La Pierre, 20, was shot dead in San Bruno Friday night, June 11. No suspects have been arrested in either of those cases.