Pittsburg police officer and suspect injured in police-station shooting during suspect's booking
Pittsburg police officer & suspect shot during struggle at police station
Pittsburg police officer and suspect were both shot when they got into an physical altercation while the officer was booking him at the police station.
PITTSBURG, Calif. - A Pittsburg police officer and a suspect being booked into the jail were both injured in a shooting on Thursday following a physical altercation – but it wasn't clear whose gun it was that went off.
Officer and suspect shot at jail
What we know:
Police said in a statement that a 31-year-old man, who was arrested, was involved in a physical altercation with one of the department's officers while being booked into jail.
They said a gun went off, but did not confirm in their statement that it was the officer's gun.
They also did not say if either was holding the gun in their hands or how the gun went off. They only indicated this was an "officer-involved shooting" and that both parties were injured.
The jail is located on Civic Avenue off of Highway 4. The shooting happened shortly before 4 p.m.
The injuries
Police said both the officer and the suspect, neither of whom have been identified, were taken to the hospital for their injuries.
The officer was said to be in "serious but stable condition." They only said the suspect was listed in stable condition but did not say how badly he was injured.
What they're saying:
Pittsburg Police Chief Phil Galer did not provide details of the shooting since it is actively under investigation, but he did say that officers acted heroically and that he was grateful to the Contra Costa County paramedics, firefighters and surrounding agencies who responded. He said he hoped for the full recovery of the officer.
"This is an upsetting moment for our community," Mayor Dionne Adams said. "As a lifelong Pittsburg resident, I have seen firsthand the progress our police department has made through community-centered policing and strengthening relationships with those they serve. Violence like this is deeply troubling and has no place in our community. I want to thank our officers for their bravery and quick response."
Contra Costa County Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston, who previously served as mayor of Pittsburg, issued a statement saying she is "heartbroken and outraged" that one of Pittsburg's police officers was shot this afternoon.
She said she is a Pittsburg resident and that violence against law enforcement officers is unacceptable.
"I'm asking the entire Pittsburg community to hold this officer, their family, and the entire department in their prayers right now," she said.
"Learning that it could involve a police officer, you start to worry. I have a lot of relationships wiht a lot of the officers," said Wolfgang Croskey, who is a board member of PAL, the Police Activities League and CEO of the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce.
He's running for city council and knows many members of the force, which has 70 to 80 officers.
"To hear that it was one of our officers, potentially it might be him or her, potentially one of your friends," said Croskey,
"To think that something like that would happen in city hall… it just wasn't on my radar."
For Elise Davila, the shooting hits close to home. She comes from a law enforcement family and said, "our family understands that risk and how much an officer puts out there every day."
Davila owns Nick's Sandwiches in downtown Pittsburg. She said her business has been the target of criminals, including beng burglarized twice in a 24-hour period in 2023.
"I'm so grateful. They've literally saved my business from being robbed," she said. "When there are crazy people, they come right away." Davila wishes the injured officer a speedy recovery and that the police department are in her prayers.
What's next:
Both the Pittsburg Police Investigations Division and Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office are investigating this shooting.