Details emerge in crime spree that ended in deadly shootout with San Jose police
Police in San Jose provided an update into a deadly shootout with an armed suspect on Wednesday, saying he took part in a multi-day crime spree that involved multiple armed robberies, carjackings and shootings with law enforcement.
At a news conference Thursday afternoon, police chief Paul Joseph released additional details about the incidents, which involved at least six law enforcement agencies.
Joseph identified the suspect as 30-year-old Mohamed Husien of Davis.
According to Joseph, the crime spree began on Jan. 17, when Husein stole a red Chevrolet Corvette from a dealership in Sacramento. On the same day, the suspect committed an armed robbery outside of San Jose and a second armed robbery at a liquor store on McKee Road in East San Jose.
The following day, police said the suspect committed two more robberies, one on the Peninsula and on Coleman Road in San Jose.
Joseph said one of their automatic license plate readers located the stolen Corvette on Wednesday and officers engaged in a brief pursuit. Officers lost track of the sports car before finding it unoccupied.
Around 2 p.m., officers responded to a dealership on Capitol Expressway following reports of a carjacking. Joseph said Husein brandished a firearm at a dealership employee and stole a green Chevrolet Corvette.
A San Jose Police Department helicopter monitored the Corvette as it traveled more than 40 miles to Hollister in San Benito County. Deputies with the San Benito Sheriff's Office located the vehicle and engaged in a slow speed pursuit, which ended when the vehicle became disabled.
Joseph said the suspect exited the Corvette with a handgun and a police shooting took place. The suspect then fled and a second police shooting occurred, before he carjacked another vehicle and headed back towards San Jose.
No injuries were reported in the Hollister incidents.
Shortly after 3:50 p.m., the suspect struck a stopped vehicle near Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue in downtown San Jose. Joseph said Husein left the vehicle and charged at an arriving sergeant, firing multiple rounds.
The chief said the sergeant was struck in the head and his skull was fractured.
"The suspect continued to circle the sergeant's patrol vehicle while firing at him from only feet away, bullets hitting the vehicle as a sergeant returned fire while bleeding from the head," Joseph said.
Husein then attempted to flee in the patrol vehicle. Moments later, he fled on foot and attempted to carjack another vehicle as officers fired at him, then was struck by a responding patrol vehicle.
Joseph said the suspect continued to move and was armed. Additional officers shot Husein, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the sergeant is recovering in the hospital, where he is expected to recover.
"This was a scene none of us ever want to witness in real life. It's this kind of footage people might expect from an action movie, but this was not a movie," Joseph said.
According to Joseph, three sergeants and six officers were involved in the incident, with the officers' experience ranging from four to 19 years of service. The officers' body-worn cameras were activated at the time of the shooting.
"Every officer involved will carry the heaviness of what happened with them for the rest of their lives. Some members of the public who were caught in the crossfire described it as the closest thing to a war they have ever witnessed," Joseph said. "That gives you a sense of how intense, terrifying those moments were, not just for officers, but for the community."
Vice Mayor Pam Foley also spoke at the briefing and thanked first responders.
"Every day, our officers put on the uniform knowing the risks, and yesterday was a reminder of the courage and dedication that they bring to protect our community. I can't imagine the courage it takes to run towards a situation like that and not away from it, but thank God they ran toward it," Foley said.
According to Jospeh, Husein's criminal history was primarily in Northern California and it was not immediately known if he had any connection to San Jose.
An investigation is being conducted by the department's homicide unit, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. The incident is also being reviewed by the department's internal affairs unit, city attorney's office and the independent police auditor.