A man was shot on northbound Interstate 805 in the Lincoln Park area of San Diego Monday morning, prompting a full closure of the freeway for hours during the busy morning commute.
California Highway Patrol said an officer had a vehicle pulled over on I-805 near Imperial Avenue when a Scion pulled up behind his patrol car just before 8 a.m. When the CHP officer approached the Scion to investigate, he noticed the man in the driver's seat had a knife and immediately retreated to his patrol car and called dispatch.
The driver exited his vehicle, still holding the knife, and approached the officer, who was in full uniform and had his lights on, CHP spokesperson Brian Pennings said. The officer tried to give the man orders to stop, but he "continued to charge at the officer."
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"I personally listened to this on the [police] radio as it was unfolding this morning and he just advised that he saw the suspect had the knife," Pennings said. "That's when the officer strategically decided to retreat."
That's when the officer, a five-and-a-half-year veteran of the force, fired multiple shots at the knife-wielding man, Pennings said. The man was struck multiple times and his "forward progress was stopped."
The man was disarmed and officers treated the man's injuries until paramedics arrived to transport him to a nearby hospital. He was expected to survive and, when discharged, to be booked into jail on charges of felony assault on an officer and failure to comply.
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The incident was under investigation for several hours, prompting CHP to detour drivers off the freeway at Imperial Avenue. Some lanes were reopened just after 12 p.m. but traffic delays were still expected. One woman told NBC 7 her typically 25-minute commute took two hours on Monday.
"We have to make sure there are no rounds that are missing. We have to make sure to account for all shots that were fired. All the casings all the rounds, all the evidence that is out there," Pennings said as to why the freeway was closed for so long.
CHP does not have a body-worn camera program. Although their are some trial programs, it was not clear if the officer involved was wearing any cameras, Pennings said.
It remains unclear why the man pulled up behind the officer in the first place.
"We would like to know the answer to that question and we hopefully will determine that," Pennings said. "We have no idea why he did what he did."
San Diego police was ready to investigate the incident but because the freeway was on state property, CHP will be handling the investigation.
A San Diego police watch commander had originally said a pursuit was involved ahead of the shooting but there was no pursuit.
This is a developing story. Details may change as information is released.
