What to Know
- A San Diego police officer with less than a year on the force was shot in the arm after a foot pursuit. He’s expected to survive
- The shooting prompted a county-wide call for help to other law enforcement agencies
- The suspect has not been located. He’s described as a bald man, 5’ 8’’ who was wearing a gray sweater at the time
Pieces of footage from witnesses and security cameras in Chollas Creek show parts of a pursuit and shooting that left a rookie San Diego Police Department officer with a gunshot wound to his arm. Investigators from several agencies in town are helping to track down the suspect that got away.
The manhunt was sparked by a traffic stop near Wightman Street and Shiloh Road, southwest of University Avenue and 52nd Street, Thursday at around noon.
The Mid City Division officer noticed a driver in a truck that was reported stolen days earlier and tried to pull him over, according to Officer Jud Campbell. Footage from a doorbell camera in the neighborhood shows the officer in an SDPD SUV chasing the driver in a white pickup truck, as the driver in the truck slams into parked cars while trying to make a U-turn. At that point, the suspect got out of the vehicle and ran as the officer gave chase on foot.
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As the suspect and officer were running through an alley, the suspect turned around and fire at least once at the officer, hitting him in the arm, according to SDPD.
"When I heard [the gunshot], I kind of jumped," said a witness named Isabella, who lives in an apartment near where the truck and cruiser were abandoned.
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Footage recorded from another witness shows a plain-clothed officer inspecting the injured officer's gunshot wound. A tourniquet is applied, then the uninjured officer immediately draws his weapon and resumes trying to track down the suspect.
SDPD Chief David Nisleit said the injured officer is seven months removed from the academy and is expected to recover from his injury. As for the suspect, described by SDPD as a bald man who stands about 5' 8'' tall, the manhunt continues around the clock, according to the chief.
"To the suspect, I know you know who you are, You need to surrender. We are not going to stop searching for you until we take you into custody," Nisleit said at a news conference.
Neighbors to the action, who were under a shelter-in-place order until about 7:40 p.m. the night of the shooting, are still trying to recover emotionally.
"I just keep thinking the what ifs. What if he would've seen me? What if I would've walked out a minute or two later? I would've been face-to-face with him," said a witness who did not want to share her name or have her face shown on camera.
Nislet was in Kentucky attending a conference for police chiefs at the time of the shooting, but took an early flight back to San Diego. He said he's spoke with the injured officer several times, as well as with his family.
Investigators are going door-to-door in the area of the shooting looking for more evidence. Anyone with information is asked to call the SDPD Homicide Unit. Up to $1,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
At around 4 p.m. Thursday, SDPD said officers had detained one person and were "evaluating his involvement," according to Lt. Jud Campbell said. By 10:15 p.m., SDPD confirmed the detained person was not a suspect in the shooting.
“We do not believe the person detained is the shooter. Police are still actively investigating and searching for the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call police or call Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous," SDPD spokesperson Lt. Adam Sharki said in a statement.
