Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting in Danville

DANVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- A man is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Danville, Calif., on Saturday morning. It all started as a call from a citizen to report a suspicious person.

"It is very unfortunate that a young man lost his life today," said Danville Police Chief Allen Shields.

At the intersection of Front Street and Diablo Road the officers tried to contact the man in his vehicle.

"Unfortunately, the driver drove his vehicle straight towards one of our officers. Fearing for his life, our officer fired his weapon towards the vehicle," Shields said.

The man crashed into another vehicle after being struck by gunfire. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The incident started around 10 a.m. on Saturday in the area of Cottage Place. Residents didn't want to go on camera but told ABC7 the unknown man entered their neighborhood on foot. They asked him if he needed anything and he said no, took off, then about an hour later he came back.

Neighbors said he appeared disoriented, was acting odd, and had something under his arm, so they called 911.

Internet recordings of police radio captured the following information: "Suspicious subject in the area of 68 Cottage Place and Laurel Drive. ... Asian male, 28 years old, 5 feet 7 inches, 150, with dark hair and glasses."

Police said the man drove away when they initially tried to contact him near Cottage Lane and Laurel Drive shortly after 11 a.m.

"The vehicle is fleeing. He just dropped something on the freeway," the radio recording said.

"This is just a quiet little street and nothing ever happens here. So it's just kind of shocking to hear," Danville resident Barbara Bucher said.

Investigators have not identified the officer who shot and killed the man, or the man himself. Chief Shields would not answer questions after giving a statement this afternoon.

The incident is being investigated by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office and the Danville Police Department.