San Francisco police wound carjacking suspect near SFO
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- A San Francisco police officer shot and wounded a man, who was accused of trying to carjack several vehicles, and threatening the life of another officer, authorities said.
San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr held a news conference Sunday morning, to discuss the police shooting that occurred near San Francisco International Airport.
The incident began at 6:50 a.m., when a witness reported seeing a car slam into a light pole at South Airport Boulevard, said Chief Suhr.
Investigators later found out that the car belongs to a woman, who left the vehicle there, because she was running in the San Francisco Marathon, police said.
According to Chief Suhr, the suspect ran from the crash scene, with a backpack, to a long-term parking area. A motorcycle officer assigned to SFO spotted the suspect walking on westbound San Bruno Avenue,
The officer asked the suspect to put down the backpack, but he then started running towards traffic, and attempted to carjack a vehicle that had stopped at a red light, said Chief Suhr.
The officer thought the driver may have been an accomplice, and ordered the driver not to move the car.
The driver told police that the suspect demanded that he drive off, but he refused.
According to Chief Suhr, the suspect then got out of the vehicle, ran down a dirt road, and hid in some bushes adjacent to northbound Highway 101.
As other officers arrived on scene, police said the suspect then lit a bush on fire, and ran again.
Officers confronted him, and the suspect allegedly tried to carjack a nearby vehicle in an effort to escape, according to authorities.
An officer ordered him to stop, causing him to turn his attention towards the officer, police said.
The officer fired one shot, but it missed him, and he continued to approach the officer, said Chief Suhr.
Another San Francisco police officer arrives, and hears the suspect saying, "Shoot me. Shoot me," said Chief Suhr. But the second officer also feared that the first officer's life was in danger, so he fired a gunshot that hit the suspect's abdomen,
The suspect was taken to the hospital, and is believed to be in serious, but stable condition.
No one else was injured during the incident, said police.
No firearms were found on the suspect, according to authorities.
As standard protocol, the officer who wounded the suspect was place on administrative leave, pending an investigation.