Suspect accused of shooting 2 SJPD officers ID'd; had arrest warrants, police say
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The San Jose Police Department says two officers were injured in a shooting late Thursday night.
The officers are in stable condition after being shot during a call responding to a disturbance involving a man with felony warrants out for his arrest.
One officer remained in the hospital Friday, suffering from life-threatening wounds, but the entire city is thankful they both are expected to survive.
SJPD responded to a disturbance at an Extended Stay America Hotel on San Ignacio Avenue near Bernal Road at 10:30 p.m. Thursday night.
A woman called 911 to report a man, with a domestic violence restraining order, was trying to get in the room.
Police say 33-year-old San Jose resident Kevin Briones had warrants out for his arrest for possessing a firearm while on probation.
They say he was recorded on an officer's bodycam walking away from the woman's room on the third floor, carrying a duffel bag.
SJPD gives update on Thursday night shooting that left 2 officers hurt
"In less than one minute that the officers first contacted the suspect, he retrieved a stolen handgun from the duffel bag and fired at the officers," San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said. "The suspect fled, running away from the officers, while continuing to fire multiple rounds at them. At least one officer returned fire and struck the suspect."
Witnesses said the shooting happened on the third floor inside of an Extended Stay Hotel.
Eric Nava lives in the hotel with her daughter and heard at least five gunshots around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
"And then all of the sudden, about two minutes later, bam bam bam," Nava said. "I'm like ok, I thought it was my daughter's friends, so I go to the door to yell at them and of course it was the cops, and I'm like what's going on? All I could see was blood and glass outside the room, so I don't know if it was in a room or in the hallway. All I know is there's one way in and one way out."
Both officers were hit during the gunfire. One suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital and later released.
The other officer suffered life-threatening injuries and remained in the hospital for most of the day Friday, but is expected to survive.
"You could go to this call 1,000 times and nothing ever goes wrong," Joseph said. "But the 1,001st time is this one. And unfortunately for this officer, with less than one year of experience, that horrible day was last night."
Police say Briones jumped out of a third floor window to escape after being shot by officers, but he was quickly arrested.
Inside that room he was trying to get into was a mother and her three children ages 8, 10 and 15.
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Chief Joseph is thankful they and the officers all survived the night.
"I can't imagine what his motives would've been other than to cause them serious harm," Joseph said. "It's just fortunate that officers arrived in time to intervene, and they took that harm. The harm was to them and not to that domestic violence survivor and those children."
The two officers are among the five shot in the line of duty for SJPD in the last 15 months.
Mayor Matt Mahan says more needs to be done to keep repeat offenders from committing crimes and get guns off the streets to support officers and keep the community safe.
"Two families got the call they always dreaded and prayed would never come," Mayor Mahan said. "We got a reminder of the courage that it takes to put on the badge and protect our city every day, knowing that you would give your life to protect the community you love. I want to make sure that our officers and their families know that we are thinking and praying for them."
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