A gun battle unfolded on the streets of a Northern California metropolis this week that was captured in disturbing video — an incidence of violence {that a} police official likened to “an motion film” that no one wished to see occur in actuality.
The San José Police Division recognized the carjacking suspect on the heart of the incident, who shot and wounded an officer throughout a close-range gunfight earlier than he was mowed down by a police cruiser and fatally shot.
The gunfight marked the tip of the suspect’s violent four-day crime spree throughout two counties that included armed robberies, carjackings, automotive chases and police shootouts, mentioned San José Police Chief Paul Joseph at a information convention Thursday afternoon, a day after the incident.
Mohamed Husien, 30, of Davis, was killed after being struck by a police cruiser and fatally shot, police say.
(San José Police Division)
“It concerned at the least six regulation enforcement companies, who pursued the suspect throughout a number of jurisdictions as he positioned numerous neighborhood members in peril as gun battles unfolded in a number of cities,” Joseph mentioned.
The police chief recognized the suspect as Mohamed Husien, 30, a resident of Davis. Husien was pronounced useless on the scene.
The shootout, captured on video by information helicopters and witnesses, erupted Wednesday afternoon after the suspect crashed his automotive close to Julian Road and Notre Dame Avenue, subsequent to the offramp of Freeway 87 and 7 blocks from Metropolis Corridor.
The movies shared on social media present the suspect dodging a police cruiser trying to run him down earlier than opening fireplace on the officer and charging him.
Within the movies, the suspect fires his weapon from the rear of the police cruiser whereas the officer returns fireplace from the motive force’s seat earlier than exiting and retreating from the spot.
“The suspect continued to circle the [officer’s] patrol automobile whereas firing at him from solely toes away,” Joseph mentioned.
He mentioned the officer, who had lately been promoted to sergeant, continued to fireside even after being struck by a bullet and bleeding from his head.
Dozens of commuters discovered themselves caught in the midst of the gunfight, which ended when the armed suspect — attempting to carjack a automobile stopped on the highway — was struck and run over by one other police cruiser.
Joseph mentioned the suspect continued to maneuver and was nonetheless armed with a firearm illegally geared up with an prolonged journal, prompting officers to fatally shoot him.
“This was a scene none of us ever wished to witness in actual life,” he mentioned. “It’s the sort of footage folks would possibly count on from an motion film, however this was not a film.”
Joseph mentioned an intensive investigation could be carried out into the taking pictures and to find out the suspect’s motive. He mentioned investigators would additionally take a look at how Husein, a convicted felon, obtained the firearm utilized in Wednesday’s taking pictures.
He mentioned the police sergeant was anticipated to outlive his accidents.
Standing behind a picket podium, talking to a row of stories cameras and reporters, Joseph declined to reply questions on using a patrol automobile to finish the gun battle, citing an ongoing investigation.
“We all the time are hoping for a peaceable decision to each incident like this,” he advised reporters. “At each second of that automobile pursuit, the suspect had the choice of pulling over and surrendering.
“We used ways which can be customary to attempt to get this individual into custody safely,” he added, ”and sadly that isn’t the result that we had.”
Joseph mentioned the taking pictures delivered to an finish a four-day crime spree throughout Sacramento, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
He mentioned the crime spree started on Jan. 17 when the suspect stole a crimson Corvette from a dealership in Sacramento. Later that day, he mentioned, he robbed a comfort retailer at gunpoint in one other metropolis, adopted by a second armed theft at a San José liquor retailer.
He mentioned the suspect dedicated three extra robberies the next day. At the very least a kind of was in San José.
Joseph mentioned the division bought a break Wednesday when a license plate reader flagged the situation of the Corvette, prompting a police response.
“San José officers situated the automobile and engaged in a short pursuit,” he mentioned, “earlier than dropping the automobile and finding it unoccupied shortly thereafter.”
At 2:01 p.m. that day, San José police acquired a name about an armed carjacking at a dealership within the 900 block of Capital Expressway.
“The suspect brandished a firearm to an worker, stole a inexperienced Corvette and fled the scene,” Joseph mentioned.
Shortly after, he mentioned, a police helicopter noticed the automobile touring south outdoors of San José and continued following, offering real-time updates to native police companies.
Hollister law enforcement officials and San Benito County sheriff’s deputies have been notified when the automobile entered their jurisdiction and tried to cease the automobile. However a slow-speed pursuit adopted that led to an officer-involved taking pictures.
“The suspect fled and was situated once more the place a second officer-involved taking pictures occurred,” Joseph mentioned. He didn’t disclose the situation of the second taking pictures.
He mentioned the suspect’s automobile grew to become disabled, prompting him to carjack a passing automobile at gunpoint earlier than fleeing town of Hollister.
Joseph mentioned no officers or deputies have been injured within the officer-involved shootings.
“The suspect then fled northbound again in the direction of San José. Officers from a number of companies pursued the suspect as he drove at excessive speeds on the freeway, endangering motorists whereas trying to evade seize,” Joseph mentioned. “Because the suspect reentered our metropolis, San José police items assumed management of the pursuit on metropolis streets.”
He mentioned the suspect crashed right into a automobile that was stopped on the intersection the place the gun battle unfolded.
“I can’t think about the braveness it takes to run in the direction of a state of affairs like that and never away from it, however thank God they ran towards it,” mentioned San José Vice Mayor Pam Foley. “We’re grateful for his or her service and for the sacrifices they and their households make, and we stand firmly in assist of the San José Police Division and all of our first responders.”
San José Police Sgt. Steve Slack, president of the San José Police Assn., reward the actions of the injured officer.
“The unbelievable bravery exhibited by each officer, particularly the SJPD sergeant who was shot and hospitalized with a cranium fracture after confronting the damaging prison, was on full show yesterday,” he mentioned. “The injured sergeant is in good spirits, and we’re supporting him and his household in each approach we will.”
