Vallejo officer shoots burglary suspect after getting hit by fleeing car

VALLEJO, Calif. - Vallejo police announced on Tuesday that one of its officers shot and injured a suspect after the officer was struck by the suspect in a fleeing vehicle. 

The incident happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning near the 1400 block of Springs Road. Officers were called to the area for a burglary in progress, Vallejo police said. 

"Upon arrival at the scene, one officer was struck by a suspect fleeing in a vehicle. The officer discharged his duty weapon striking the suspect," police announced in a press release. 

The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and will be booked into Solano County Jail once released. The suspect's name was not given. They will be charged with assaulting an officer and for commercial burglary. 

Interim Vallejo Chief of Police Jason Ta held an early evening news conference about the shooting, telling the public the incident happened at the Grand gas station on Springs Road. Ta said when officers arrived at the scene about 11 minutes after receiving 911 calls for the burglary, officers witnessed several suspects running out of the business. 

"One officer exited his vehicle and gave chase to the subjects," Ta said. "One subject ran towards and entered the driver's seat of a parked vehicle."

Ta said the officer tried to contact that person and place them into custody. 

"The subject accelerated his vehicle toward the officer," Ta said. 

The officer was struck and landed on the hood of the vehicle, that's when police say the officer discharged his firearm and struck the suspect at least once. 

"The vehicle continued traveling until it collided with a building across the street," Ta added. 

The suspect was then taken into custody. Both the suspect and the officer were taken to a local hospital. The officer was treated for non-life threatening injuries. 

Police said the Solano County Major Crimes Task Force arrived at the scene to take over the investigation. 

The shooting announcement comes after a May ruling by a Solano County judge that found the City of Vallejo violated the California Public Records Act when city officials allegedly destroyed evidence in multiple police shootings, Open Vallejo reported. 

In a separate incident, at about 8:30 p.m. Monday, two men were found shot in a crashed car. They both died at a hospital.