The San Jose Police Department released bodycam video Sunday showing what led up to the January fatal shooting of a carjacking suspect who led police on a chase across several South Bay cities.
In the video posted to YouTube, San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph notes that the investigation into this incident is still in the early stages and that viewer discretion is advised.
WARNING: Graphic Content
Officer Tanya Hernandez details how the suspect, 30-year-old Muhammed Hussein’s crime spree began days earlier, before the deadly shootout near downtown San Jose. Hussein allegedly stole a red Corvette from a dealership in Sacramento on Saturday, Jan. 17, and committed multiple armed robberies in Northern California and the Bay Area over the next few days.
On Wednesday, license plate readers spotted that stolen red Corvette in San Jose, but officers were not able to find the driver.
A pursuit began when the suspect stole a bright green Corvette at gunpoint from Capitol Chevrolet in San Jose.
The police chopper followed the carjacker about 45 miles south to Hollister, where the man got into a shootout with San Benito Sheriff’s deputies and Hollister police.
The man stole another car in Hollister — seen on cell phone video — then drove back to San Jose as he fired at California Highway Patrol officers along the way.
RELATED: Accomplice arrested in connection to crime spree prior to deadly SJ carjacking shootout: police
Bodycam and helicopter video show the moment the chase came to an end in downtown San Jose. In the video, you can see Sgt. Silva almost hit the suspect as he got out of the stolen vehicle and came to a stop in the middle of the intersection. Sgt. Silva exits his patrol car, gun drawn, and is immediately met with gunfire. Police say he was shot in the hand and head, fracturing his skull.
Helicopter video shows the suspect attempting to get into the officer’s vehicle before running away. The suspect is then shot, falls to the ground, and is run over by another officer at Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue.
In a January news conference shortly after this shooting, Chief Joseph said nothing about a deadly encounter is pretty.
“You have an incredibly dangerous situation with a dangerous individual, and that individual needs to be stopped. And whatever means the officers needed to use to stop that individual, they made a decision in that moment,” said Joseph.
As Chief Joseph stated in the video, this investigation is in the early stages.
The video in the media player above is from a previous report.
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