Press Release - Officer Involved Shooting

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Date: June 22, 2006
Contact: Jason Zuhlke, Press Information Officer
Subject: Officer Involved Shooting
Location: Leffingwell Rd. / Meyer Rd.

Santa Fe Springs – On June 22, 2006 at 10:40pm, a Whittier Police Officer, assigned to the patrol division in Santa Fe Springs, was involved in a shooting with a hostile suspect during a foot pursuit. Minutes before the shooting, the officer attempted to stop a Black Honda CRX for an unknown traffic violation and the car began fleeing from him. Obtaining the registration information, the officer learned the Honda had been stolen from Fullerton. At this time the officer went in pursuit of the car but it continued to flee. Ultimately, the passenger of the car “bailed out” on foot in the area of Leffingwell Rd. and Meyer Rd. and a foot pursuit began. While the officer was chasing the passenger, he was forced to use his firearm to protect himself from the hostile suspect. During the shooting, the suspect was struck once in the abdomen. He is now conscious and breathing and has been transported to UCI Medical Center for treatment; the officer was not injured.

While the officer was chasing the suspect, other officers began receiving reports of a vehicle crash not far away. Responding to the scene of the crash, the suspect vehicle was located. A short while later, the driver of the vehicle was located and taken into custody.

For further information contact PIO Jason Zuhlke at (562) 945-8282

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