Santa Clara police shoot, kill man who reportedly shot into traffic and people at Rotten Robbie gas station

KGO logo
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Alleged gunman shot, killed by police at Santa Clara gas station
Police say it's amazing nobody was injured as the man randomly into traffic and at people a Rotten Robbie gas station.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara Police say it's amazing nobody was injured by a gunman who fired indiscriminately into traffic and at people at a Rotten Robbie gas station Saturday.

Officers shot and killed the man, who they say had multiple weapons and lots of ammunition.

The incident started at a Rotten Robbie location in Cupertino where an employee reportedly set the kiosk on fire, then took off for Santa Clara where he started shooting. The smoldering fire wasn't discovered until hours later, after the shooting.

Around 5:45 a.m. Santa Clara police responded to the Rotten Robbie on Lafayette Street and Aldo Avenue in Santa Clara.

Witness Arnold Sanchez recorded cell phone video at the gas station. In it, you can hear several pops of gunfire.

Police dispatch audio describes the scene, "Subject still shooting inside the store. He has a shotgun in one hand and a hand gun in the other."

RELATED: Standoff near Fresno State escalates to officer-involved shooting, suspect killed

Several gas station employees and customers were inside when police arrived. They'd received 911 calls saying there were people down.

"It was only seconds between their arrival and the time they took action," said Capt. Wahid Kazem, Santa Clara Police Department, about the responding officers.

Officers shot and killed the man, identified late Saturday as a 55-year-old San Jose resident.

"We are extremely fortunate that there are no injured civilians or officers. This person was shooting indiscriminately at passing motorists, at civilians in the parking lot, as well as inside the store," said Capt. Kazem.

RELATED: Family of woman shot, killed by SJPD make plea for details

It's unclear how many officers fired. Capt. Kazem says around a dozen of them responded to the active shooter call. There is police body camera footage, traffic camera video, in addition to the witness video.

The officers involved will be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation, which is protocol for officer involved shootings.

The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office will identify the man shot and killed by police.