Sacramento, California – A reported vehicle burglary before sunrise in Sacramento County quickly escalated into an assault, a stolen car, a pursuit and, finally, gunfire on Watt Avenue.
By the time the incident ended Friday morning, Sept. 18, two deputies had fired their weapons, the suspect had been shot and taken to a hospital, and the man whose vehicle was stolen had also received medical treatment. Authorities said no deputies were injured.
The incident began at about 5:20 a.m. in the 5700 block of Hesper Way, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. A woman who was at work reported seeing an adult man on her home surveillance system who appeared to be breaking into her husband’s vehicle.
She alerted her husband, who was home, and then called 911.
Authorities said the husband confronted the man, who then physically attacked him. The victim tried to retreat into his residence, but the suspect followed and attacked him again before he could get inside. Investigators said the suspect took the victim’s keys and drove away in his vehicle.
Deputies later spotted the stolen vehicle near Manzanita Avenue and Madison Avenue and attempted to stop it. The driver refused to pull over, prompting a pursuit.
An initial Pursuit Intervention Technique, commonly known as a PIT maneuver, was unsuccessful. Deputies later used a tire-deflation device before successfully performing another PIT maneuver on southbound Watt Avenue, just south of Edison Avenue.
The situation did not end there.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies got out of their patrol vehicles and ordered the suspect to surrender. Instead, authorities said he managed to restart the vehicle, drove north in the southbound lanes, accelerated across the center median and headed directly toward deputies who were standing outside their vehicles.
The Sheriff’s Office said the maneuver created an immediate threat to the deputies. Two deputies then fired their duty weapons.
The vehicle stopped shortly afterward, and deputies removed the suspect without further incident. After realizing he had been struck by gunfire, deputies began providing medical aid.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The victim was also treated at a local hospital and released. No deputies were hurt during the incident.