On July 6th at approximately 5:16 p.m. East Precinct Officers were on patrol in a two-officer, marked patrol car and observed a white Lexus 4-door sedan with license plates that didn’t match the vehicle. The Lexus was parked in a lot on the southwest corner of 20th Avenue South and South Jackson Street occupied by four male suspects.
Both officers exited their patrol car and contacted the suspects, who were uncooperative and refused to obey the officers’ commands. The driver deliberately tried to run over the officers as he affected his escape. One officer fired multiple rounds at the driver.
The driver continued to flee the scene by driving westbound on South Jackson Street. In the 1800 block of South Jackson Street, all four of the suspects jumped from the Lexus and attempted to flee on foot. One of the suspects dropped a loaded handgun in the street. The unoccupied Lexus continued to travel westbound down South Jackson Street.
A responding officer saw this moving hazard and stopped the Lexus by blocking it with his patrol car, causing the two cars to collide head-on. The officer involved in the collision sustained minor injuries. He was treated and released at the scene by SFD Medics. No other officers were injured during this incident.
Responding officers apprehended three of the fleeing suspects near the collision scene. One suspect was injured in the incident. That suspect sustained a minor hand injury and was transported to Harborview Medical Center. We believe the hand injury was caused by a gunshot wound. One suspect remains at large.
The officer who fired his service weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.
Homicide and CSI Detectives responded to investigate and process the scene, common practice in an officer-involved shooting. A Firearms Review Board will be convened in the coming weeks to determine whether or not the shooting was within Department policy.
All three in-custody suspects will be booked for Investigation of Assault on an Officer. This remains an active and on-going investigation.