San Diego Police IDs Woman and Officer, Deputy Who Shot Her in Talmadge

Officials on Friday identified a woman who was shot in Talmadge on Monday — after allegedly brandishing a replica handgun — and the law enforcement officers who shot her.

SDPD said the shooting took place that evening after members of the San Diego County Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT) — which is comprised of officers from numerous state and local agencies — located a stolen vehicle on the 4600 block of Collwood Boulevard and pulled it over. Two members from RATT, Chula Vista police officer Cody O’Riley, a four-year veteran, and San Diego County Sheriff's Department Sgt. James Balderson, who has been with the department for 14 years, approached the van during the stop.

After identifying themselves as law enforcement, the officials asked a woman in the vehicle — identified Friday as Candace Spears, 32 — to get out of the van. While she was doing so, SDPD said, Spears pulled out what "appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at officers." This resulted in the men opening fire on and striking her multiple times, police said.

Following the shooting, officers performed emergency aid on Spears until she was taken to an area hospital. Police said on Friday that she remains in critical condition. Also on Friday, officials said a federal probation warrant was active for Spears at the time of the shooting.

No law enforcement officials were shot at or injured during the confrontation.

SDPD's Homicide Unit is investigating the incident, which is protocol for lethal and non-lethal shootings involving countywide law enforcement agencies except for SDPD, Lt. Adam Sharki said. Police said Friday that FBI and U.S. Attorney's office are also monitoring the situation and that the shooting occurred during a plainclothes investigation, so body-worn cameras were not being utilized at the time of the shooting.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the homicide unit at (619) 531-2293.