STOCKTON — A Stockton police officer who has been involved in a series of lethal and nonlethal shootings was involved in another fatal shooting earlier this week under a different name.

Angel Alan Gleason, 36, of Modesto was shot and killed by Stockton and Manteca police officers Tuesday on Jack Tone Road near Highway 99 in Ripon, authorities said. Gleason struck another car during a vehicle pursuit, causing it to roll down an embankment, and then pointed a gun at officers while attempting to flee on foot before he was shot, authorities said.

The Manteca Police Department identified its officer as Armen Avakian, a 25-year veteran. The Stockton Police Department identified its officer as Houston Stephens, an eight-year veteran assigned to the Delta Regional Auto Theft Task Force. The Record has learned that Stephens was formerly known as Houston Sensabaugh, who has been criticized by a small but vocal group of protesters who have demonstrated against a number of officer-involved shootings in recent years.

“We know he changed his name,” said Aaron Paradiso, who has led a number of protests in Stockton in the years since his brother, David Paradiso, was fatally shot by police after he stabbed a San Joaquin County Superior Court judge inside a Stockton courtroom. “People want to know, if you’re not ashamed of what you did and you didn’t do anything wrong, why would you hide from who you are?”

Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department, confirmed that the officer involved in Tuesday’s shooting has changed his last name from Sensabaugh to Stephens. Silva said he could not discuss why Stephens chose to change his name.

“He changed his last name for personal reasons, and we don’t have any further comment,” Silva said.

Stephens remained on paid administrative leave and was unavailable to comment Friday, Silva said.

Stephens has been the subject of frequent criticism on the Stockton Police Department Corruption Reporting Page on Facebook, which has referred to police officers as murderers and posted memes equating police to ISIS terrorists. Some of the posts included photos of Stephens and a woman who is believed to be his wife. Another included a photo of his home.

During an interview Friday afternoon, Paradiso said he knew where Stephens lived and could provide directions to his house.

Paradiso expressed satisfaction when a reporter suggested the photos on the Stockton Police Department Corruption Reporting Page might have influenced Stephens’ decision to change his name.

“That’s a big accomplishment,” Paradiso said. “All the protests we did at City Hall actually shamed him into changing his name? That is crazy. That is a compliment. That shows there is power in people.”

Stephens has been involved in at least four shootings since August 2012. Three of them were fatal.

On Aug. 27, 2012, Stephens and other officers fatally shot Edwardo De Las Nieves, 31, an Honor Farm escapee who led police in a high-speed pursuit in a stolen car, authorities said. De Las Nieves drove into oncoming traffic on Interstate 5 several times before being spun out by California Highway Patrol officers on Woodbridge Road near Highway 99. He was shot when he reversed the car toward officers, authorities said.

On July 10, 2013, Stephens and a San Joaquin County Sheriff’s deputy returned fire when 22-year-old Deandre Adams opened fire on them with a high-powered assault rifle during a foot pursuit at August Knodt Elementary School in southwest Stockton, authorities said. Adams was shot, but he survived. A second suspect involved in the pursuit, 20-year-old Juan Julian Barnes, was located nearby on a school rooftop with a gun that was used in a homicide days earlier. Barnes was arrested on suspicion of murder.

On Feb. 23, 2015, Stephens and a San Joaquin County Sheriff’s deputy fatally shot Gary Hawkins, 33, who was driving a stolen Mercedes that matched the description of a vehicle used in an armed robbery the day before, authorities said. As officers approached the car on foot, Hawkins put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated toward them, causing one of the officers to fall to the ground. Both officers drew their weapons and opened fire on Hawkins, who had a handgun in his waistband.

Ralph Lee White, a former City Councilman who has voiced concerns about officer-involved shootings in Stockton, reacted strongly to news that Stephens had been involved in another shooting. White said he would ask Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones to reassign Stephens.

“Obviously that man has a problem,” White said. “How many more kids are we going to have killed before we realize we have a problem? If the chief doesn’t take him off the streets and put him behind a desk, then we’re going to protest until he takes him off. He’s got to go.”

— Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8279 or janderson@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/crimeblog and on Twitter @Stockton911.