Police kill suspect in fatal Modesto, San Jose shootings
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — After a car chase and standoff, police shot and killed a man suspected in a pair of fatal shootings in San Jose and Modesto that happened in a two-hour span, authorities said Wednesday.
The Mercury News in San Jose reported that the suspect fired on police during the pursuit and after he barricaded himself inside a residence in the South San Jose neighborhood, southeast of San Francisco.
The suspect died at a local hospital following the Wednesday morning shooting, authorities said.
No police officers were injured.
The fatal confrontation came about 12 hours after the first shooting was reported at 7:11 p.m. Tuesday in San Jose, police said. A wounded man was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Around 9:20 p.m. in Modesto, a second shooting was reported that resulted in the death of a 29-year-old woman, according to police. Officials in the Central California city said the shooting had been linked to the suspect, but did not specify how.
After the second shooting, the suspect was spotted by California Highway Patrol officers as he was heading toward the San Francisco Bay Area. The CHP officers initiated a chase, which eventually included San Jose police and ended in the city.
During that car chase, the suspect reportedly shot at pursuing officers, San Jose police said.
Just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, police announced on Twitter that the suspect had barricaded himself in a residence — it was not immediately clear if he was connected to the address — after neighbors reported seeing someone knocking on windows and jumping fences on the street.
On at least one occasion, the barricaded suspect opened fire on officers, but did not hit anyone, police said. Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.
Police spokesman Sgt. Christian Camarillo said at a Wednesday news conference that the man emerged from a backyard shed at 7:22 a.m. and pointed a gun at special-operations officers, prompting the officers to open fire.
Camarillo said that was the only time that officers fired at the man, through the police chase and ensuing standoff.
The incident marked the San Jose Police Department’s third police shooting of 2022, two of which have been fatal.
