A Pittsburg police officer and a felony suspect were shot during a struggle inside a holding cell at the Pittsburg Police Department, while a third person was injured in the scuffle. The officer and suspect were hospitalized.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a Pittsburg police officer was shot near the department's headquarters. The report said Victor Daniel told the publication that three victims were taken to a hospital. The Pittsburg Police Department did not immediately return the Chronicle's request for comment, and the extent of the victims' injuries remained unknown at the time of that report.
Officer and Felony Suspect Shot
Subsequent reporting expanded the scope of the incident beyond the initial account of a single officer shot. According to BNO News, citing local media and East Bay Times sources, one Pittsburg police officer and a felony suspect were shot during a struggle inside a holding cell at the department. A third person was injured in the scuffle. The officer reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen, while the suspect was shot in the ankle, before the officer and suspect were hospitalized. Police cordoned off the station's front entrance with crime scene tape as the investigation began, per that same account.
The Pittsburg Police Department's headquarters sits at 65 Civic Avenue, a municipal building that also houses Pittsburg City Hall and the City Council Chambers, according to the City of Pittsburg. The complex sits in Pittsburg, in Contra Costa County, meaning the gunfire erupted at a site that serves as one of the city's primary civic hubs rather than an isolated patrol substation. The City of Pittsburg lists the Council Chamber at 65 Civic Avenue.
New Chief Inherits High-Profile Crisis
The shooting lands just months into a leadership transition at the department. The City of Pittsburg appointed Captain Phil Galer as Chief of Police in May, following Steve Albanese's retirement. Galer, a 25-year department veteran, was selected after a multi-month process involving community meetings, putting him in charge of the department as it now navigates one of the most serious incidents to hit its own headquarters in recent memory.
The incident remains under investigation.
Not the First Ambush on Pittsburg Officers
A 24-year veteran Pittsburg police officer was shot in the leg after an attempted-murder suspect ambushed him on Harbor Street, according to KTVU FOX 2. That officer returned fire, wounding the suspect, and survived after being treated at a local hospital.
The department has also faced scrutiny over use of force in the past.
Security around the headquarters complex has drawn attention before, too. In November 2023, the Pittsburg City Council reviewed plans to expand public surveillance camera coverage around city streets and buildings, citing public safety and crime prevention, per CBS San Francisco. And in June 2025, Pittsburg police sought public help after a suspect vandalized school resource officer patrol cars parked on Davi Avenue, as Hoodline previously reported.
What Remains Unknown
Key details about Thursday's shooting remain unresolved. The identity and condition of the suspect, the circumstances surrounding the struggle inside the holding cell, and updated official condition reports for the injured officer and third person have not yet been made public. The Pittsburg Police Department had not returned a request for comment as of the Chronicle's initial report, and this remains a developing story.
