San Jose hostage situation involving UPS truck ends, suspect shot, killed
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office says the suspect who was in a standoff in a UPS truck was shot and killed after attempting to run from the truck.
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Santa Clara County Sheriff deputies and San Jose police were in a standoff with the suspect at North First Street and West Trimble Road after a slow speed chase.
Friends have identified the suspect as Mark Morasky. They said they were on the phone with him during the standoff and talked him into surrendering, claiming he was prepared to go to jail before he was shot.
The sheriff's office said around 5 p.m., deputies in plain clothes attempted to stop Morasky who was driving an SUV near Chynoweth Ave and Pearl Ave in San Jose. Deputies didn't elaborate the reason for the traffic stop.
They say Morasky took off and started firing at deputies in his escape. A patrol car was hit with a bullet in that initial pursuit. Morasky and his female passenger were able to get away on foot near Curtner and Communications Hill.
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They commandeered a nearby UPS truck. The UPS driver inside was taken hostage, and the second vehicle pursuit began. Spike strips were deployed at Highway 87 and Taylor Street, but deputies say the suspect continued driving. The pursuit eventually ended at North First and Trimble.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office says one shot took a suspect down, just before 7 p.m.
"He was very close to just turning the gun over and turning himself in," the suspect's friend, Amanda Bazzani said.
Bazzani and others who identified as Morasky's friends were unable to explain his earlier actions.
"You have to realize this person was armed with a gun. Some sort of shotgun, some sort of long gun," Sgt. Reggie Cooks told ABC7 News. "He already showed a propensity toward violence in that he shot multiple times at our deputies-- one of which hit one of our pursuit cars."
Sky7 was overhead the moment the woman with Morasky was taken into custody. She faces several charges, including attemtped murder of a police officer, San Jose PD said Friday in a press conference.
Sky7 also captured the hostage being released.
Shortly after, Morasky ran from the UPS truck, armed with a gun.
Moments after Morasky went down, Sgt. Cooks told the media, "I do know-- at least one shot fired and we can confirm that the suspect is down."
A yellow tarp was put over his body. Friends who were on-scene were visibly distraught.
"He called me from inside the truck," Bazzani said.
Bazzani claims the group of friends convinced Morasky to let go of the hostage. Adding, he was only moments from surrendering.
"He wanted us to call dispatch and tell them to back up and give him time to make his phone calls and be ok with the decision of giving himself up to do life in prison," Bazzani said. "Because he's a two striker."
We searched Morasky's records and found he was previously arrested for robbery and possession of stolen property.
His friends tell ABC7 News he had a one-year-old daughter.
