Tracy police officer shoots, injures knife-wielding teenage boy
TRACY -- A police officer in Tracy shot and injured a teenage boy holding a knife Friday after the teen refused to follow commands to drop the knife and moved toward the officer, according to a police statement.
The Tracy Police Department said in a Facebook post officers received a call at about 1:47 p.m. about suspicious activity between two male subjects in the area of Silvertail Place and Foxtail Way. The caller said one of them was holding a knife while chasing the other person.
When officers arrived and made contact with the person holding a knife, he approached the officer and was given commands to stop and drop the knife, according to the police statement.
The police statement went on to say, "Fearing for his safety and the safety of those in the area, the officer discharged his duty firearm, striking the individual. A large knife was recovered from the scene."
Officers provided first aid to the suspect, a 17-year-old, until medics arrived, police said. He was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition and was expected to survive.
The officer involved in the shooting, a 28-year veteran of the department, was not immediately identified. He was not injured.
Neighbors described to CBS News Sacramento a chaotic scene leading up to the shooting.
"One of the victims comes running into my garage saying he's running from his brother, his cousin or somebody, but it was a relative," said witness James Cummings.
Cummings said he called 911 and pointed out the suspect to arriving officers.
"About five minutes later, I heard two gunshots," he said.
"The officer had very clear commands in an effort to get the person to drop the knife, and they failed to do so," Tracy Police Lt. Mario Ysit told CBS News Sacramento.
In a prepared statement, Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington said, "These events are tragic for everyone involved, our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this incident."
Investigators from Tracy Police Department and the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office were working to interview witnesses. The department said officer body cam footage would be made available to the public after interviews were completed.
Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to contact Detective Philip Giusto at Philip.Giusto@TracyPD.com or at 209-831-6551.