A late-night traffic stop in San Leandro turned into a high-speed chase and ended with an officer firing at a man police say was running with a rifle early today. The pursuit wrapped up after the suspect vehicle crashed, several people bolted from the scene, and officers later took one person into custody and recovered a rifle. Authorities said no one was hurt.
According to the department, the episode started around 12:30 a.m. when an officer tried to pull over a black Mercedes-Benz sedan, and the driver took off at what police described as a "high rate of speed." The chase ended when the car hit a curb at Davis and Alvarado streets, at which point several occupants ran from the vehicle while officers fanned out to search the neighborhood. Those details were included in the department's statement, as reported by CBS News.
Police said the driver was later spotted running south on Alvarado while holding what appeared to be a rifle. One officer then found the man on nearby railroad tracks west of Alvarado. When the officer ordered him to drop the weapon, and he did not comply, an officer-involved shooting occurred, and other officers moved in to take the man into custody. A rifle was recovered at the scene, and no injuries were reported, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The department identified the officer who fired as a four-and-a-half-year veteran and said he has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard after police shootings. San Leandro's Criminal Investigations Division and Professional Standards Unit are handling parallel criminal and administrative probes, and the city's independent police auditor is expected to review their findings once those inquiries are complete. Those steps were outlined in the department's release and summarized by SFGATE.
Who Will Review The Case
Per the department, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office will also conduct its own separate investigation into the shooting, a routine move in such incidents. That dual review, combining internal criminal and administrative inquiries with an outside prosecutor's look, is intended to preserve a measure of independence while the department works through its case file, according to CBS News.
What Still Isn't Known
Police have not publicly identified the suspect or explained why officers initially tried to stop the Mercedes. Officials say they are holding back some details to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation. No body-camera video or bystander footage has been released, and it is not yet clear whether prosecutors have filed any charges. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that investigators and oversight officials will determine the next steps as the review continues.
Residents near Davis and Alvarado may see an increased police presence as officers document the scene and collect physical evidence. The department has said it will release more information "in compliance with the law" as the parallel reviews move forward, according to local coverage in SFGATE.
