Moments after Valente Galindo was giving his girlfriend a back massage in the bedroom of their east San Jose home late Thursday night, he became the fourth person killed this year in an encounter with San Jose police.

But how the 47-year-old laid-off custodian ended up dead in a violent confrontation in his own bedroom was the subject of a dispute Friday between police and Galindo’s girlfriend.

The one thing they agree on — officers weren’t looking for Galindo when they frantically chased another man they say was armed and fleeing into Galindo’s home on Inman Way. Instead, they were looking for that suspect’s gun.

During the chaos, an officer tackled the suspect and then ran to the bedroom where the gun was tossed. When the officer came to the bedroom door, police say Galindo was pointing the weapon and refused to drop it.

“One of the officers was clearly threatened,” said police Sgt. Jason Dwyer, adding the officer fired in self-defense.

But Galindo’s girlfriend, Cynthia Barragan, said in an interview that she never saw Galindo — whom she called “Val” — with a gun.

“He had no reason to kill him,” Barragan, 54, said of the officer. “He just shot him to kill him.”

As is usual protocol, the shooting will be probed by the police and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

“The facts will speak for themselves and they are not all available right now,” said Police Chief Chris Moore “We take seriously any witness statements and they will be included in the official investigation.”

The shooting marks the eighth time this year that San Jose police have fired their weapons at a suspect; seven of the incidents have occurred since mid-September. Four suspects have died.

Police on Friday identified the officer as Lee Tassio, a 9-year veteran who is part of the department’s gang suppression team. He has been placed on a routine paid administrative leave.

The fatal incident began with a beer.

At 11:28 p.m. Thursday, the two officers were conducting a gang suppression patrol near Waverly Avenue and South King Road, an area considered to be a hot spot for gang activity, according to police.

On Inman Way, they spotted a man, later identified as 24-year-old Manuel Fuentes, walking down the street and drinking a beer, said Sgt. Jason Dwyer. Possession of an open container of beer in public is a city violation. Police did not elaborate on whether Fuentes is affiliated with a gang, but his mug shot provided by police shows a face tattoo that is associated with a street gang.

As officers approached Fuentes, he fled into a nearby home, Dwyer said.

As the suspect ran, one officer saw the man reaching into his waistband. The suspect again reached for the waistband as he entered the house.

Tassio and other officers followed Fuentes into the house and pushed him to the ground, Dwyer said. The man then pulled a handgun from his waistband and tossed it into a nearby bedroom, Dwyer said. After getting help with his suspect, Tassio went to find the gun in the bedroom. The officer came upon Galindo and told him not to pick up the gun, Dwyer said.

Galindo picked up the gun and Tassio ordered him to drop the weapon, Dwyer said.

When the man pointed the gun at the officer, Tassio fired one round, fatally wounding Galindo.

Police declined to release further information about the gun, including whether it was loaded.

But Barragan contradicted the officer’s rationale for shooting.

She said she and “Val” were relaxing in his queen-size bed. He had just used a vibrating massager to ease her chronic back pain, when she felt and heard what seemed to be an earthquake.

The house seemed to shaking. And then bodies rushed past the open bedroom door. Barragan said she yelled out, “Oh! Fight!”

An officer appeared at the doorway. The officer, Barragan said, yelled “He has a gun!” and immediately fired.

Barragan said she didn’t see a weapon being tossed into the well-lit bedroom, didn’t see Galindo pick up a weapon, and didn’t see a gun in his hand as he was shot. She said the police officer gave no warning before he fired.

Galindo’s only words, she said, came after he was shot, when he raised his hands and said, “Please. Please. I can’t catch my breath.”

She said the officer replied: “If you move, I’ll shoot you again.”

Once officers secured the house, they called for an ambulance and attempted to administer first aid. The officers applied pressure to the gunshot wound with towels and blankets, Dwyer said.

Paramedics took Galindo to San Jose Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Barragan said Fuentes was a friend of Galindo’s. Fuentes — who police said has a long criminal history — was booked on charges of resisting arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Court records show Galindo also had a long criminal history, including convictions and violations for drugs and public intoxication. He was also once arrested for resisting arrest when he angrily objected to being told by police to sit on a curb. He also had at least one conviction for stealing a set of new tires.

“My brother wasn’t perfect,” said Frank Galindo, 42, who was sleeping on a couch nearby and did not see the shooting. “I mean, he dislikes the cops just like the rest of us do. And we used to be gangbangers, at least I was. But that doesn’t prove nothing.”

Contact Mark Gomez at mgomez@mercurynews.com or call 408-920-5869. Follow him at Twitter.com/markmgomez. Contact Lisa Fernandez at lfernandez@mercurynews.com or call 408-920-5002, or follow her at Twitter.com/ljfernandez. Contact Sean Webby at 408-920-5003 or follow him at twitter.com/seanwebby.