SD Cops Shoot Man Who Slipped From Handcuffs, Took Gun

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego police shot and wounded a 25-year-old man who slipped out of handcuffs while inside a patrol vehicle outside police headquarters, grabbed an officer's back-up gun and fired at least one round, police said Monday.

The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday outside San Diego Police Headquarters, 1401 Broadway between 14th and 15th streets, San Diego police Lt. Andra Brown said.

The 25-year-old man, whose name was not immediately available, was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries, which were not believed to be life-threatening, Brown said.

Shortly before 6:25 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to reports of a man causing a disturbance and threatening security personnel at a downtown hotel, the lieutenant said. The location of the hotel was not immediately available.

Officers arrived and found that a man had already been subdued by security, Brown said. The officers then transported the man to SDPD Headquarters for processing, the lieutenant said.

"While officers were away from their patrol SUV, the male slipped out of his handcuffs and broke a divider that separates the prisoner seat area from the cargo area," Brown said. "The male then got an officer's gear bag that contained a secondary weapon."

The officers returned to the patrol SUV, but noticed the man was armed with an officer's handgun so they backed away.

They gave the man commands to drop the weapon, but the man refused and fired at least one round from the handgun, Brown said. Three officers opened fire and struck the man at least once in the torso.

The man -- still armed with the gun -- opened the rear cargo compartment and the driver's door of the patrol vehicle, then attempted to flee on foot.

A short time later, officers deployed a police dog, which bit the man, who was then taken into custody, Brown said.

No officers were injured.

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--City News Service