Vallejo officer-involved shooting in Oakland; chase ends in gunfire, suspect in custody

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A police pursuit spanned two counties, beginning in Vallejo and ending in Oakland with a crash and an officer-involved shooting. 

The unidentified male suspect was taken to the hospital Thursday afternoon, after being shot by Vallejo police officers multiple times. 

No officers were seriously injured in the exchange of gunfire. 

The chase spanned more than 30 miles with speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, before ending at 22nd Avenue and International Boulevard around 4:25 p.m.

The incident began at about 1 p.m., with a phone call in Vallejo. Police there said they received a call from a resident of the Glencove neighborhood from a "credible person" who knows the suspect," said Vallejo Police Captain Lee Horton. The caller said the suspect was heavily armed in their vehicle outside the caller's house.

"[He said] he was heavily armed with rifles, assault weapons, a handgun and the caller was fearful and he let our officers know that," explained Horton.

It was not clear what the relationship between the two individuals is. 

Vallejo P.D. responded and took tactical positions, but they said the suspect fled and the chase began.

When the chase arrived in Oakland via I-80, that's when we were told the suspect tried to ram officers.

"We have reports that the suspect did fire at our officers during the pursuit," said Horton.  Vallejo police were said to have returned fire, but officers were not hit. 

Not far from the freeway, the chase ended with a crash, and bullets flying.The suspect's black Ford Explorer hit a pole. 

Other vehicles were tangled in the commotion.  

According to Oakland police, the suspect had several assault rifles inside their black SUV, was wearing some sort of body armor and was alone in the vehicle.

Skyfox was above the large police presence at the scene of the crash and could see the suspect being detained and taken into custody. The suspect's vehicle had multiple bullet holes in its chassis and shattered windows.

A worried dad waited outside the police perimeter to be reunited with his teenage daughter. 
She was with fellow soccer players, in a car headed to practice. 

Next thing she knew, she was a witness to an officer-involved shooting. 

"I think she's okay yeah," said Daniel Hernandez anxiously, moments before he was allowed to approach and hug his daughter. 

Captain Horton, defended the pursuit through heavily congested areas. 

While it's not common to chase a suspect into another county, it's not rare either, he said, but a choice officers must make in the moment, weighing the risks. 

"Of course pursuits are dangerous but so is a person with assault rifles and pistols, putting more people in danger," said Horton, "and so it's a judgment call, a difficult decision officers have to make on their own."  

No bystanders were hurt, but a Vallejo police officer suffered a minor injury. 

The suspect remains hospitalized with no word on his condition. 

It remains unclear what he was doing showing up at someone's house heavily armed and with body armor. 

Investigators remained at the crime scene well into the night.