Police fatally shoot suspect; UPS driver taken hostage is safe
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - San Jose police on Thursday night shot and killed a man who authorities said carjacked a UPS truck holding the driver hostage, who was eventually let go and was not harmed.
It all started with a police pursuit at 5 p.m. that began at Chynoweyh and Pearl avenues in South San Jose ending with a dramatic standoff on North 1st and South Trimble in North San Jose.
At 7 p.m., armored tactical vehicles boxed in the UPS truck in the North San Jose industrial park. Skyfox captured the suspect running off. Law enforcement fired one shot killing him. Moments later, a yellow tarp is seen placed over his body.
The events began with an attempted traffic stop in South San Jose and the suspect leading deputies in a car chase
“Shots were fired during that pursuit by the suspect,” said Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Reginald Cooks. “It appears to be some sort of shotgun. We know there were multiple shots fired at our deputies. One shot hit our deputies’s vehicle.”
The sheriff's office said the suspect then got out of his car near Communications Hills, carjacking a UPS truck with the driver inside. Deputies deployed spike strips and the UPS truck finally stopped at North 1st and South Trimble prompting a heavy police response.
“Hostage negotiators arrived on scene,” said Sgt. Cooks. “We were able to rescue the hostage and get him out safely.”
Friends identified the suspect killed as 33-year-old Mark Morasky of San Jose, who they said leaves behind a one-year-old daughter. They claim he called them from inside the UPS truck.
“He was crying, he wanted us to call dispatch and tell them to back up and give him time,” said Suspect’s Friend Amanda Bazzani. “He was crying on the phone. He was sobbing. He was so scared because once he gave up the hostage and gun they were going to rush him and shoot him.”
They claim he stole the UPS truck to avoid police out of fear he'd head back to jail. They said his rap sheet includes-residential burglaries and two strikes. They wished non-lethal force was used.
“He was about to make the decision to do life in prison so his daughter would have him and they took that option away from her,” said Bazzani.
The sheriff’s office took one female suspect into custody. It’s unclear her relationship to the suspect. UPS released a statement that said in part they are thankful to local police who responded to the situation and are assisting with the investigation.