San Jose: Three arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after police pursuit
Two victims suffered gunshot wounds but their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening
SAN JOSE, Calif. — According to police, three people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a shooting and a wild car chase that took responding officers from San Jose to East Palo Alto early Wednesday morning.
Around 1:12 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a reported shooting in the 100 block of West Alma Avenue, just south of downtown San Jose. Officers arrived to find two men with at least one gunshot wound each. They were taken to a hospital, where they were expected to recover from their injuries, according to police.
Officers observed a suspect vehicle fleeing the scene, but it did not stop, according to authorities. After the vehicle refused to pull over, police pursued the vehicle, a dark-colored sedan.
During the pursuit, police observed two guns being thrown from the vehicle. Both weapons were later recovered by police; one was discovered to be a “ghost gun,” a privately-made firearm rendered untraceable by the lack of a serial number.
When the chase ended in East Palo Alto, two suspects were quickly apprehended. A third suspect holed himself up inside a house. A short time later, San Jose MERGE officers, assisted by East Palo Alto police, arrested him without incident.
According to police, the three men, aged 24, 32, and 41, were arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder, weapons violations, and reckless felony evasion. The 32 and 24-year-old men are from East Palo Alto, respectively, while the 42-year-old man is from San Jose.
Authorities said they obtained search warrants for the barricaded home and another suspect’s residence in East Palo Alto, where ammunition and additional contraband were discovered.
“This case is yet another example of how our officers are the best in the country and the risks they face on a daily basis taking dangerous criminals off the streets to keep our city safe,” San Jose police Chief Anthony Mata said in a statement. “The quick response and subsequent arrest most likely saved lives and kept these suspects from harming others.”
Anyone with information about these or similar cases should contact Detective Lucas Gaarde at the San Jose Police Assaults Unit at 4560@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4161.
