Suspect dies after officer-involved shooting in downtown Danville
DANVILLE – A suspect was shot and killed while attempting to run over a police officer during a pursuit through downtown Danville Saturday.
According to Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jimmy Lee, Danville Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious person near Cottage Lane and Laurel Drive at 11:03 am on Saturday.
Danville Police Cheif Allan Shields held a press briefing Saturday afternoon to summarize the incident. Shields said that when officers arrived in the area where the suspicious person was reported, the subject fled, leading officers on a pursuit.
According to Sheilds, while at the intersection of Front Street and Diablo Road, officers exited their vehicles in an effort to make an arrest of the suspect. The suspect drove his vehicle toward an officer and “fearing for his life, our officer fired his weapon toward the vehicle in an attempt to get the driver to stop. The driver was struck,” Shields said during the presser.
Following the shooting, Shields said the suspect crashed the vehicle, halting the pursuit.
Officers located the driver unresponsive inside the vehicle and conducted lifesaving efforts before paramedics from the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District arrived.
The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. According to authorities, the officer sustained a minor injury. They have not released the name of the male suspect.
During the chase, the suspect reportedly dropped an object out of the vehicle under an I-680 overpass. According to witnesses, it appeared the suspect vehicle collided with two civilian vehicles at the scene.
Resources from the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office are also participating in the investigation.
Before Saturday, Danville’s last officer-involved shooting occurred in 2001 at a gas station in the downtown area.
— Danville/SR Updates (@DanvilleSR_News) November 3, 2018
