A tense scene unfolded early this morning in Ashland, Alameda County, where one man was fatally shot and two others were taken into custody after a high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle took a violent turn. The incident began around 2 a.m., when California Highway Patrol (CHP) received reports of a stolen car speeding east on Interstate 580.
The suspects' vehicle, identified as a stolen Hyundai Elantra, then exited the freeway and proceeded to crash on the 1600 block of 163rd Avenue in Ashland. Three men sporting ski masks reportedly fled from the scene. As Henry Lee KTVU reported, the trio had evaded CHP officers on I-580 and managed to send officers on a chase that ended in the aforementioned crash.
Suspect in ski mask trying to disarm @CHPHayward officer near 163rd & Calypso in Ashland is shot dead by @CHPHayward @ACSOSheriffs, sheriff says. 2 others held. Trio had eluded @CHPHayward on I-580 & crashed stolen Hyundai Elantra at 163rd & Liberty. @AlamedaCountyDA also on case pic.twitter.com/Mf1eYXMA2m
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) July 3, 2023
Upon CHP's arrival, two of the suspects engaged in a physical altercation with an officer, resulting in what Alameda County Sheriff’s Lt. Tya Modeste described as a "fight." Upon the arrival of an Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy to assist, the situation dramatically elevated. "He saw the CHP officer on his back on the ground fighting with two suspects and one of the two was trying to disarm the CHP officer," Modeste said, as reported by SFGATE.
Details about the subsequent gunfire remain murky, but one suspect wound up fatally shot. At this time, it remains unclear whether the shots were fired by the CHP officer or the Alameda County deputy. The two remaining suspects were subsequently taken into custody.
Authorities have identified the deceased as well as the individuals detained. While information regarding their identities has not yet been released, they are believed to be in their late teens or early 20s. The Alameda County District Attorney's office has joined the investigation.
