The San Diego Police Department has released new details in the investigation into a California Highway Patrol pursuit that led to gunfire in Serra Mesa on Monday, including that one of the suspects may have been struck by an officer's bullet.
Police detained two of the three people inside what was believed to be a red Acura MDX stolen from Escondido that led officers on a pursuit on Interstate 805 to a neighborhood in Serra Mesa on March 1. But officers are still looking for a third person who they now believe may have been struck by officer gunfire during the chase, the San Diego Police Department said Thursday.
SDPD says they are looking for 18-year-old Matthew Cisneros of Vista. A warrant has been issued for his arrest for charges related to the carjacking from Escondido. SDPD says he is not wanted in connection to the pursuit.
The driver was also identified by authorities on Thursday as 21-year-old George Angel Cisneros, also of Vista. He is in custody on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and a parole violation.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
The third person involved was a minor who was detained at the scene but has since been released from custody.
SDPD also named the two officers who opened fire on the vehicle as it advanced towards them as Michael May, an 18-year-old CHP veteran, and Pedro Gonzalez, a 7-year veteran of the force.
Just after midnight on Monday, a pursuit began on I-805 near Murray Ridge Road when a CHP unit of two officers on patrol saw a red Acura MDX "speeding and swerving in the traffic lanes," according to SDPD, which was conducting the investigation because the chase ended in their jurisdiction.
Local
When CHP tried to pull the car over, the vehicle fled. As the unit chased the vehicle, officers learned the suspect's car was stolen during a carjacking in Escondido, SDPD said.
The suspect car eventually drove into a dead-end street in Serra Mesa. CHP officers exited their car to pull the car over and while trying to flee authorities, the vehicle made a U-turn and drove toward the officers and their patrol car, prompting CHP to open fire.
While SDPD said they did not believe anyone was struck, they have since learned Matthew Cisneros may have been.
It is not believed that any of the individuals opened fire on officers, SDPD said.
SDPD said the suspect's car crashed into the patrol vehicle, pinning an officer between the door and their car. The suspects then drove off from the scene in the stolen vehicle.
Responding officers found the stolen car abandoned in the 2200 block of Royale Crescent Court. Two of the three passengers were located that night and taken into custody.
The officer who was pinned suffered minor injuries in the incident and was taken to an area hospital and released.
As per any incident that involves a shooting with an officer, SDPD's Homicide Unit is investigating.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the matter is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or to make an anonymous tips by contacting Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
