A District Attorney investigator opened fire on a suspect who they say was using a stolen vehicle as a weapon against officers in Southcrest Wednesday morning.
At about 11 a.m., members of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT) got a tip about a stolen vehicle in the 3500 block of National Avenue. When they arrived, they discovered a blue Honda Accord sitting at a Chevron gas station, said Al Guaderrama, captain of the San Diego Police Homicide Unit.
Pulling in behind and in front of him, task force members started walking up to the 18-year-old suspect, but he threw his car in reverse and rammed into the unmarked car behind him.
A DA investigator shot at the suspect, hitting him in the shoulder. The driver tried to speed off, but he did not get far, crashing into a pole and police cars soon after.
Guaderrama says the man got out of the car with a gun, but he was caught a short time later. The suspect was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK.
One witness at the scene said he heard the police yell at the suspect to stop before he heard three shots fired.
“And the guy, he's going over there for the bush. And the police, he [says] ‘Stop stop,’ and three shots,” said witness Cristobal Rimero.
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An 18-year-old female passenger riding with the suspect had minor injuries from the crash and was also taken to the hospital. Task force members did not report any injuries.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office says their investigator who shot at the suspect has been in law enforcement for 16 years. He is currently assigned to the RATT.
