A tumultuous encounter involving multiple law enforcement agencies culminated in the San José Police Department's first officer-involved shooting of the year, leaving a suspect dead and a sergeant with serious injuries. According to the SJPD news release, the drama began on Wednesday, around 2:01 PM, when an armed carjacking was reported at a car dealership located in the 900 block of Capitol Expressway.
San José Police, with the aid of their helicopter AIR 3, tracked the suspect, Mohamed Husien, a convicted felon who was barred from firearm possession, as he drove the stolen vehicle out of San José. Involved in a slow-speed chase that transgressed into Hollister, the suspect continued his spree with a second carjacking after being pursued by officers from multiple agencies. After returning to San José, a collision on city streets precipitated a forceful confrontation, wherein Husien, firing at an SJPD sergeant, resulted in the sergeant sustaining a fractured skull from a gunshot wound to the head.
The ordeal didn't stop there, as Husien attempted to take control of a patrol car before ultimately being incapacitated by law enforcement's return fire and then struck by another patrol vehicle. "Every officer involved in yesterday's harrowing incident will carry the heaviness of what happened for the rest of their lives. Some members of the public who were caught in the crossfire described it as the closest thing to war they have ever witnessed," SJPD Chief Paul Joseph stated, as reported by SJPD
San José Mayor Matt Mahan commended the sergeant for his bravery and expressed gratitude for his service, stating, "Like our entire police force, this Sergeant puts his life on the line every day — and yesterday, it was almost taken from him." Husien, who was declared deceased at the scene, had been part of a crime wave the previous weekend that included armed carjackings and robberies across various jurisdictions. San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire conveyed her distress over the violence and her appreciation for the responding officers, "To see one of our dedicated public servants injured while serving the community is deeply upsetting, and any act of violence toward anyone in our community is deplorable," she remarked in the official SJPD release.
