An early morning attempted burglary at a cannabis shop in Martinez provoked a massive police presence, as local law enforcement and several agencies quickly responded to the scene.
According to KRON4 News, the owners of the Velvet Cannabis Dispensary on Sunrise Drive off of Pacheco Drive received a call from the Martinez Police Department (MPD) notifying them of an attempted break-in. It was reported that the suspect(s) were unable to gain entry to the shop, but the nature of the interaction between the authorities and the suspect(s) remains unclear.
As ABC7 News reported, the attempted break-in led to a heavy police presence, with personnel from not only the MPD, but also the neighboring Pleasant Hill Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office arriving on the scene to provide support and secure the area. It is worth noting that the scene unfolded in a busy commercial district, near Pacheco Boulevard, and just off Interstate 680.
According to Henry Lee of KTVU one suspect was shot and killed by Martinez PD during the police activity at the cannabis shop.
A suspect is shot and killed by @MartinezPDinCA during confrontation outside @VelvetCannabis on Sunrise, I’ve confirmed. @CoCoSheriff crime lab on scene. Noon,5,6,7 p.m. @KTVU pic.twitter.com/A9og3oDPvh
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) August 18, 2023
Update: Accoring to Henry Lee the suspect was unarmed and now Attorney General Rob Bonta is now investigating.
At this time, many details about the incident remain unresolved – including exactly how many suspects were involved, and whether any others were injured during their interactions with the responding officers.
