San Diego police chief gives update on shot sergeant, robbery spree

San Diego police Chief David Nisleit spoke Tuesday with NBC 7 about a series of recent incidents involving his department, including a shooting that left one of his sergeants with a bullet wound to the head and a series of armed robberies that have kept officers busy trying to track down the suspects.

Sergeant recovering after being shot in the head

Chief Nisleit said the officer who was shot in the head during a confrontation with a suspect, who was fatally shot in the 4S Ranch shopping center parking lot, has been released from the Intensive Care Unit but would remain hospitalized for a while longer.

Anthony Elliott "still has a long road to recovery, but he's doing well," Nisleit said. "He's alert, he's conscious, he's talking. His wife has been by his side. She's an amazing woman. And there's no doubt that he'll continue to progress and recover."

He recalled the sinking feeling he got when he received the call one of his sergeants had been shot. He didn't yet know that it was Elliott, a six-year veteran who works with the SWAT team.

"You just sink. You want them to survive," Nisleit said. "I remember telling my wife that an officer down and just praying the whole way you're getting there, and it's about halfway, when I was en route about halfway, I was notified that he was alert, conscious and talking. So that was a blessing."

Nisleit praised his officers, many of whom were a year or so out of training, for their handling of the incident, which he had reviewed through body-worn camera footage of the incident last week.

"I thought the officers did an amazing job under high stress, under very violent, up close engagement, if you will," he said. "They were looking for Curtis Harris. They knew he was involved in a domestic violence incident the week before, or I should say that week, auto theft. They knew he was most likely armed and there was also a restraining order that they needed to serve."

Increase in violent crime committed by juveniles: Nisleit

San Diego police have seen an increase in violent crimes carried out by juveniles, Chief Nisleit said Tuesday in response to the arrest of three suspects under the age of 18 believed to be responsible for at least a half-dozen robberies in San Diego County.

"You look at these two 16-year-olds and a 14-year-old armed with a ghost gun, armed with another handgun, and armed with an AR-15, who, in my opinion, when they were caught, were going out to do more business, if you will, to commit more robberies," Nisleit said.

He said it's been difficult for his department to hold criminals accountable and criticized the state legislature for not doing what he believes is it's part in the criminal justice system.

"That's an issue right now. The criminal element seems to be having that advantage, and that needs to change. And I think the public's fed up. I know I'm fed up and it needs to change," Nisleit said.

"The repeat offenders are not being treated like they used to be. We need tougher laws. We need our state legislation or our legislators to start holding people accountable, writing better bills and supporting law enforcement. In my opinion, they haven't been doing that."

Nisleit is set to retire next year. He says two of the biggest priorities for the future chief will be dealing with that and staffing issues facing the department.