By Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
STOCKTON, Calif. — Gunfire erupted outside a California police station when a “screaming” man showed up in the parking lot and started shooting late Wednesday, Dec. 8, according to the Stockton Police Department.
The man was killed when five officers returned fire, officials said.
His identity and a motive have not been released.
It happened around 8:30 p.m. outside the department’s operations building at 22 E. Market St.
Initial reports came from callers in the parking lot, who described “a shirtless white male” was in front of the police station, “firing a gun,” officials said.
“Six Stockton police officers responded from inside the Operations Building and exited through the front lobby doors,” officials said.
“The suspect was screaming and armed with a firearm. The officers told the suspect to get on the ground and drop the gun. The suspect got on his stomach but refused to drop the gun. The suspect continued to scream, stood back up with the gun pointing in the officers’ direction, and began to run towards the officers. Five officers fired their service weapons, shooting the man.”
The officers attempted “life-saving measures until medics arrived,” but the man died at the scene, officials said.
No officers were injured.
A photo shared on Facebook by the police department showed a Colt handgun was found on the sidewalk after the suspect was killed.
The officers involved in the shooting were identified as: SPD Officer Nicole Williams, hired in June 2019, and assigned to Field Operations; SPD Officer Nicholas Frayer, hired in August 2019, and assigned to Field Operations; SPD Officer Hao Tran, hired in March 2017, and assigned to Field Operations; SPD Officer Seth Powell, hired in August 2019, and assigned to Field Operations, and SPD Officer Ruben Rillon, hired in August 2020, and assigned to Field Operations.
All have been placed on on “three-day paid administrative leave,” which is standard during investigations of shootings involving officer, officials said.
“Due to this being an officer-involved shooting, we initiated a Multi-Agency Critical Incident Investigation with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, California’s Department of Justice, and San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s Office,” officials said.
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https://www.facebook.com/stocktonpolicedepartment/posts/272930071534023
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