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Published on June 07, 2024
Terry Gordon Found Guilty of Felony Assault Against San Leandro Police Officers in 2017 Safeway IncidentSource: Google Street View

After a prolonged seven-year journey through the justice system, Terry Gordon, a 64-year-old suspect, has been found guilty by an Alameda County jury for the felony assault of officers from the San Leandro Police Department. The conviction is linked to a 2017 incident that began as a suspected shoplifting case at Safeway in the Greenhouse Marketplace, located at 699 Lewelling Boulevard. Gordon, upon being confronted by San Leandro officers in the supermarket parking lot, chose to abruptly run to his vehicle and engage in a physical confrontation before knocking down the officers with his car to escape. This altercation resulted in serious injuries to the involved law enforcement personnel. The verdict was reached on Tuesday, June 4, as reported by the San Leandro Police Department.

Details provided by the San Leandro Police Department outlined how the officers who attempted to apprehend Gordon sustained injuries when he managed to start his vehicle during the skirmish and purposefully drove over one of them. The officer under the car suffered multiple broken bones and nerve damage, finally returning to full duty after extensive recovery and rehabilitation. Gordon was swiftly identified the day following the incident and arrested by SLPD detectives after a brief car chase in Oakland.

SLPD Chief Angela Averiett expressed gratitude towards the judicial system for its role in the verdict. "I am pleased to see justice being served on behalf of our heroic police officers," she said, according to the San Leandro Police Department. She also took the occasion to recognize the jury's role in concluding what she described as a horrific case by ensuring a dangerous individual would no longer pose a threat to the community.

Currently, Gordon awaits his sentencing, which is scheduled to happen next month. The repercussions of Gordon's actions have come full circle with this conviction, bringing a sense of closure to the injured officers and perhaps to the community as well, as echoed by Averiett's comments. The resolution of this case is hoped to serve as a reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers face daily and the justice system's capacity to respond to such perils.