An investigation is underway in El Cajon after law enforcement officers opened fire on a man who tried to ram them with a truck that was reported stolen, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Authorities received a report of a stolen Toyota Tacoma out of Alpine on Thursday night. The vehicle was spotted around 10:30 that night on Oro Street in El Cajon.
Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) set up surveillance on the truck, waiting an hour and a half before deciding to recover the vehicle after not seeing anyone approach it. They then noticed a man in the driver's seat and ordered him to exit the truck talking to a second man outside the Toyota.
According to San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the driver, later identified as 25-year-old Brenten Kinzenbaw of Alpine, disobeyed orders and instead put the vehicle in reverse, crashing it into a parked car. The driver then drove forward, nearly hitting the 2nd man and the deputies, then struck one of the patrol vehicles, prompting a deputy to open fire on the driver, Shebloski said, hitting him in both legs.
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Kinzenbaw allegedly continued traveling north on Oro Street, instigating a brief pursuit. The chase came to an end after the truck crashed near Greenfield Drive and 2nd Street. Next, deputies say, Kinzenbaw attempted to hide in the backyard shed of a home in the 1300 block of Arlington Place, prompting residents to call 911.
Eros Navarro, who lives near the area, recalled the sirens approaching his neighborhood at the time of the incident.
“My mother-in-law came in saying, ‘I hear some noise,’ and I’m hearing cop cars coming in back and forth, back and forth, and the helicopter is not moving around,” Navarro said. “And so she goes to the window and checks it out because the neighbor’s dog is going crazy as well, and she says she sees a guy hopping over a fence and crouch down, putting his hoodie on."
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Kinzenbaw, who is accused of assault with a deadly weapon, felony evading, hit and run, and auto theft, was hospitalized after his arrest. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
In accordance with a prior investigative agreement regarding officer-involved shootings, San Diego Police homicide unit has taken over the investigation.
Anybody with information about the incident is being urged to contact SDPD at (619) 531-2293. Tips can be called in anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
