San Jose man details wild shootout in his home that left armed suspect dead

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose police on Wednesday identified an armed robbery suspect who officers shot and killed after fleeing from authorities into an unaware family’s home this week – and the father who lived there detailed the scary experience in his first public comments since the high-profile shootout. 

Suspect had "extensive history of violence"

What we know:

At a news conference, Police Chief Paul Joseph said that 39-year-old Anthony Chavez of Campbell was shot by officers on Tuesday evening after he fled into the home on Goodyear Street and hid in a bathroom before opening fire on officers who were searching for him.

During the shootout, SJPD Sgt. Matt Walsh was struck twice by gunshots before the officers returned fire, striking Chavez several times and killing him, Joseph said.

Walsh was initially listed in critical condition, but was stabilized the night of the shooting.

Joseph said the department’s contact with Chavez began several days before the fatal shootout.

On Aug. 16, police learned that a gold 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe was stolen by a suspect – later identified as Chavez – from the 3000 block of Copperfield Drive.

Crimes ahead of the shooting

Dig deeper:

Joseph said Chavez allegedly swapped out the license plates of the Tahoe with multiple stolen plates over the next several days as he robbed people across the city.

On Saturday afternoon, Chavez allegedly went to the parking lot of a bank in the 500 block of West Capitol Avenue and, armed with what Joseph described as a "brown long gun," approached a bystander who was using an ATM and robbed them of their money and wallet.

The next day, on Sunday afternoon, Chavez allegedly went to a shopping center parking lot in the 100 block of Curtner Avenue and robbed another person of their belongings before fleeing in the stolen Tahoe.

After detecting the stolen Tahoe on several license plate readers throughout the city, SJPD officers on Tuesday began tracking the SUV and were eventually able to identify Chavez. 

Authorities also discovered that he had a felony warrant for his arrest and had an "extensive criminal history" including convictions for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and auto theft, Joseph said.

"At this point, detectives were not simply dealing with a suspect in a stolen vehicle," Joseph said. "They were dealing with a wanted person with an extensive history of violence who was believed to be responsible for multiple armed robberies, and they had surveillance video showing him committing those robberies armed with a long gun."

MERGE unit gets involved

The chase:

Because of Chavez’s criminal history, the SJPD’s MERGE unit – the department’s version of a SWAT team – took over the surveillance and, at about 5:43 p.m. on Tuesday, they tried to block Chavez as he sat in the stolen Tahoe in the area of Pomona and San Jose avenues.

However, Chavez fled in the stolen car, and police chased after him. During the chase, Joseph said Chavez allegedly brandished a handgun at officers, and he also allegedly struck several other uninvolved vehicles as he fled.

Chavez eventually crashed the stolen Tahoe into parked cars in the area of Goodyear Street and Lick Avenue, where he fled on foot into the surrounding neighborhood. He then entered the backyard of a home in the 400 block of Goodyear Street and jumped a fence into another yard, where he entered the unlocked back door of a home. 

"This created an immediate and extremely dangerous situation," Joseph said. "Officers knew an armed, violent suspect who had just committed multiple armed robberies, fled from police, crashed a stolen vehicle, entered an unrelated family’s home and could be taking hostages."

MERGE units quickly entered the house and found a family inside who had no idea that Chavez had fled into their home. Police evacuated a father named Dave (who declined to give his last name) and his two young children who were inside.  Some of this escape was captured on the home's surveillance video. 

The family's escape to safety

Dave told KTVU that he had taken his 7-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son to his bedroom to put the younger child to sleep when he heard a commotion at his front door.  He said he saw police officers breaking the door to enter the house, which was also captured on surveillance video. 

Dave says officers used flash bags and eventually found Chavez hiding in a small bathroom.

A flash bang was used in an attempt to subdue him, Joseph said. However, Chavez allegedly opened fire as the officers entered the room, striking Walsh twice before Walsh and another officer returned fire.

Chavez died at the scene.

Police recovered a revolver from the scene after the shooting.

On Wednesday evening, Dave and his father-in-law Brett Bymaster, the owner of the house, invited a KTVU crew into their home, calling the police officers "heroes" for protecting their family. 

Dave says he's grateful,"I thank the police officers, all of them, especially the one who lead us out.  He was so positive. He was so courageous. He made sure he shielded us when he was taking us out.  He made sure we were safe."

Now, the family is concerned by the cost of the cleanup and repairs that are needed.    

Bymaster says he has already paid $3,375 for the cleanup of blood, and that doesn't include the cost of repairs and that he and his family are staying in a hotel indefinitely. 

Suspect originally sentenced to 23 years

The backstory:

At a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Joseph said criminal records indicated Chavez had committed four armed robberies in 2011, and was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2016. However, he was re-sentenced and released on parole in October 2025.

Joseph said that within six months of his release, SJPD officers found Chavez driving a stolen vehicle that was taken in a residential burglary, and he allegedly attempted to flee on foot when officers tried to arrest him.

"Despite being charged with new crimes while on parole, he was released by a judge… over our district attorney’s objection," Joseph said.

The chief added that Chavez failed to report to his next court date and for electronic ankle monitoring after he was released.

"Chavez should have been in custody, but instead he was out committing the robberies I mentioned, and he shot Sgt. Walsh," Joseph said.

San JoseCrime and Public Safety