SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — Law enforcement officers opened fire against a felon four separate times across two counties before he was plowed over by a police SUV in downtown San Jose and died.
Mohamed Husien, 30, of Davis, shot a San Jose Police Department sergeant and attempted to carjack the sergeant’s patrol car moments before Husien was killed, officials said. The January 21 melee was described by bystanders who were caught in the crossfire as like a warzone. Several witnesses recorded videos of the chaos.
The following timeline is based on information released by SJPD and Hollister Police Department officials:
2 p.m.: Husien entered an auto dealership on Capitol Expressway in San Jose, brandished a gun at an employee, and stole a car. He fled in the stolen car before officers arrived.
2:48 p.m.: SJPD helicopter AIR 3 found the car traveling southbound out of San Jose, followed it from the air, and alerted San Benito County authorities that the suspect was heading their way.
Mohamed Husien is seen in a mugshot released by SJPD.
2:56 p.m.: Hollister Police Department officers found Husien on Central Avenue in Hollister and engaged in a slow-speed vehicle pursuit. The car stopped in a neighborhood and Husien got out while holding a gun, a video recorded by a witness shows. HPD officers fired bullets at him as he fled on foot.
San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies found Husien nearby and also fired their guns. The felon fled again, carjacked another vehicle, and fled out of Hollister.
“The suspect fled towards San Jose northbound and engaged the California Highway Patrol with more gunfire, firing out the window of his vehicle,” HPD wrote.
SJPD officers joined the high-speed pursuit and Husien drove back into San Jose.
3:53 p.m.: The stolen car collided with vehicles that were stopped at the intersection of Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue downtown. Dozens of bystanders and motorists were in the area.
“After the collision, the suspect exited his vehicle and charged at an arriving San Jose police sergeant, immediately firing multiple rounds as the sergeant exited his patrol vehicle. The sergeant was struck in the head by the suspect’s gunfire, fracturing his skull,” SJPD wrote.
Video shot by more witnesses showed Husien unsuccessfully attempted to carjack the sergeant’s SJPD patrol vehicle. Additional officers chased him and fired a barrage of bullets.
Another SJPD officer’s vehicle accelerated directly toward Husien and ran him over, police helicopter video shows. Husien was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police Chief Paul Joseph said, “Every officer involved in yesterday’s harrowing incident will carry the heaviness of what happened for the rest of their lives. Some members of the public who were caught in the crossfire described it as the closest thing to war they have ever witnessed. That gives you a sense of how intense and terrifying those moments were, not just for officers, but for the community.”
The injured sergeant was rushed to a hospital, and he is expected to recover from his injuries.
Mayor Matt Mahan said, “This sergeant puts his life on the line every day. It was almost taken from him. I’m grateful for his courage and praying for his swift recovery.”
Detectives later discovered that Husien had engaged in a crime spree the weekend prior, spanning from armed carjackings to robberies in multiple jurisdictions.
Three sergeants and six officers “were involved in the use of force” during the downtown San Jose shooting, police said. All of their body-worn cameras were activated. San Benito County officials said none of their officers and deputies were injured in the earlier shootings.