California Officer Shot, Suspect Killed During Stolen Vehicle Response

An officer with the Azuza (CA) Police Department was shot during an exchange of gunfire between the officer and a vehicle theft suspect Wednesday.

According to the Azusa Deputy City Manager, the male officer was taken to a local hospital. He is stable and expected to recover. The male suspect involved in the shooting is dead, CBS reports.

According to police, the officers first responded to the area after reports of a stolen car. When investigators found the car the suspect, who was close by, attempted to run away before a struggle. During the scuffle, the man pulled out a handgun and exchanged fire with an Azusa police officer. Both the officer and the suspect were hit. The suspect was declared dead at the scene. The handgun was recovered.

“This is a mix of residential and commercial areas, said Captain Robert Landeros. “There are multiple criminal incidents that occur ranging from stolen cars to robberies but something like this where an officer gets struck is very rare. I’ve not seen it in my city in the course of my career.”