Fremont Police Names Officers In Deadly Shooting After Pursuit
FREMONT (CBS SF) – Fremont police on Thursday named the officers involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting earlier this month and described what led up to the suspect's death.
The officers involved in the shooting were Sgt. Kurtis Romley, Crime Scene Investigator Officer Calvin Gaziano, K-9 Officer Jared Madsen, Officer Craig Perry, Officer Thomas Degenstein, Officer Jamil Roberts and Officer Ralph Meredith.
At 6:47 p.m. on April 5, police spotted the suspect named Nathaniel Prasad, 18, riding in a vehicle driven by his mother near Central Avenue and Fremont Boulevard.
Alameda County sheriff's officials last week had identified Prasad as an Oakland resident. But police said Thursday Prasad was from Hayward.
Police said Prasad was wanted on a felony gun possession warrant, a felony probation warrant and a misdemeanor evading arrest warrant for fleeing from a Fremont school resource officer on March 22.
Prasad was initially spotted by the Police Department's street crimes unit, who asked for officers in marked patrol units to stop the vehicle.
Police said two patrol officers responded, activated their sirens and emergency lights, and Prasad's mother stopped the vehicle just before the intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Nicolet Avenue.
Police said Prasad got out of the right side of the vehicle and ran. According to police, one officer in a vehicle followed Prasad to the back of an Arco gas station at the corner of Fremont Boulevard and Nicolet Avenue.
The officer, who was in uniform, stopped the patrol vehicle and got out to confront Prasad.
Police said Prasad pulled a gun from his waist area and appeared to fire one or two shots in the direction of the officer.
The officer fired back and reported to other officers that the suspect had a gun.
According to police, Prasad ran back toward Fremont Boulevard.
Police said the officer's interaction with Prasad was captured by video cameras and corroborated by witnesses and the officer.
More officers arrived at the gas station.
Police said Prasad ran toward the officers before turning and running south on Fremont Boulevard into oncoming lanes of traffic.
Officers deployed a K-9 and six officers, three in uniform, started running after Prasad.
According to police, during the chase Prasad pointed a gun in the direction of officers and fired at least once.
Police said the interaction is corroborated by witnesses, statements by the officers, body-worn camera footage and in-car camera footage.
The officers returned fire and bullets struck Prasad. According to police, Prasad fell to the ground. But he still had a weapon in his hand and officers shot again.
Police said officers approached Prasad, removed the gun from the area and started to provide medical care.
Paramedics arrived and pronounced Prasad dead a short time later.
No officers were injured in the shooting. Prasad's mother was transported to the police station, where she provided a statement to investigators.
Prasad had a .22 caliber revolver with him and officers found it had three spent casings and three empty cylinders, police said.
The gun had allegedly been stolen.
Police said the recovery of the gun from Prasad was caught on at least one officer's body-worn camera and corroborated by witnesses.
Police said the officers' experience ranges from seven months to 24 years. All the officers were placed on paid leave immediately after the shooting.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office and the Fremont Crimes Against Persons Unit are investigating the shooting.
Anyone with information about it is asked to call the Police Department's investigative unit at (510) 790-6900 or send an anonymous tip by texting TIP FREMONTPD followed by a message to 888-777. A tip can be delivered online at https://local.nixle.com/tip/alert/6216337.
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