A San Diego Harbor Police officer was shot during a gun battle in Little Italy with a person suspected in a deadly shooting that occurred about an hour earlier in the downtown area on Wednesday.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers responded at around 8:20 a.m. local time on Wednesday to a reported shooting where a man and woman were killed. Officers began searching for the suspected gunman at that time.
According to SDPD Captain Manny Del Toro, the shooter was a man wearing a green shirt and blue jeans, and that description was sent out to law enforcement citywide. Police believe the shooter knew the man and woman.
According to Wahl, about 45 minutes later, Harbor Police officers — who were assisting in the search — spotted a person believed to be the suspected gunman in the Union Street shooting at Juniper Street and Kettner Boulevard in Little Italy in San Diego.
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Officers encountered someone wearing tactical pants and boots who was being "blatant and aggressive," according to Del Toro. The man had knives and was armed with a gun, police said.
During a confrontation there was an exchange of gunfire, with a Harbor Police officer shot in the hip and the suspect struck by police gunfire. SDPD officials said three officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect, and multiple shots were fired at the officers.
Del Toro said it was unclear if the suspect or officers shot first.
The injured officer was taken to UC San Diego Medical Center, and while Wahl said it is believed the officer will recover, but said their condition was not immediately known.
"I'd like to tell everybody to keep this police officer in their thoughts and prayers; this is a very dangerous job that we do and today signifies that." — SDPD Chief Scott Wahl
Wahl said during a press conference the suspect was also taken to a hospital. Officials confirmed to Scripps News San Diego that the suspect died at the hospital. They described him as a man in his 20s.
"This could've been much worse. I have to commend the officers from the Harbor Police Department in their response and the way that they engaged the suspect. This is Little Italy; we have people walking the streets, coffee shops ... their ability to run towards gunfire and to courageously engage this individual I believe saved lives,” Wahl said.
A motive in the Union Street shooting is being investigated by SDPD Homicide detectives. The identities of all of the victims were not immediately released.
According to the investigation, certain roads were closed and police asked the public to avoid multiple areas for a period that lasted hours.
This story was first published by Scripps News San Diego.
