San Jose Police Arrest Suspect After Exchanging Gunfire, Manhunt
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- San Jose police arrested a suspect who opened fire at police officers after trying to rob a sporting goods store near the Eastridge Mall Sunday morning.
At 7:59 a.m. officers went to the 2200 block of Tully Road where a man was reportedly armed with a gun outside of a Big 5 Sporting Goods store.
When officers arrived, the suspect allegedly opened fire and at least one officer shot back, according to police.
At least a half dozen evidence markers were visible on the street after the incident.
"He fired at the officers who were arriving at scene. The officers returned fire. The subject took off running in the opposite direction, jumped over some fences into a mobile home park," said San Jose police spokesperson Albert Morales.
Witnesses said the suspect went door to door with his gun drawn trying to convince residents to let him inside.
Police were able to arrest the suspect before 10 a.m. and he was taken to Santa Clara County Jail.
No one was injured, police said.
This was the third officer-involved shooting in the past five days for San Jose police.
"Yes, [it has been] very,very busy. Third officer-involved shooting incident this week," said Morales. "But again, there were no significant injuries to our officers. That's very,very important. And no injuries to the public."
Police were able to recover the gun after the suspect left the firearm in some bushes before being taken into custody.
The San Jose Chief of Police decried the violence against his men early Sunday evening when he spoke to the media about the incident.
"The actions of this suspect were appalling and the continued violence towards law enforcement officers is also equally appalling," said San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia. "We're very lucky that we did not lose an officer today."
Garcia also announced that the weapon, a .45 caliber pistol, was determined to have been stolen.
"The gun was reported stolen after a burglary in 2013. He was not a suspect in that burglary or that we know of at this point," said Garcia.
The suspect was booked on three counts of attempted murder of a police officer and possession of a stolen firearm. The suspect's motive remain unclear.
At this point, police said they believe the suspect is homeless. He has a history of mental illness and has been arrested on robbery, assault and narcotics charges in the past.
The officer who opened fire, a 16-year veteran with the department, will be on paid administrative leave during an investigation into the shooting as is standard police procedure.
The police department's homicide unit and the Santa Clara County district attorney's office will be investigating the case.
The police department's internal affairs unit, the city attorney's office and the office of the independent police auditor will monitor the investigation.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Sgt. John Barg or Detective Wayne Smith at (408) 277-5283.
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