Burglary Suspect Shot while Striking Officers with Car, Arrested after 12-Hour Stakeout

PALM SPRINGS – Following an altercation that led to a suspect being stunned and then shot as he allegedly backed over officers with his vehicle, an arrest was made by a multi-city team of officers.

Officers first encountered the car and suspects in this Palm Springs neighborhood

On Wednesday Jan. 9 at 10:50 p.m. a Palm Springs officer patrolling the 600 block of South Camino Real noticed an unoccupied vehicle fitting the description of one believed to have been used in an attempted residential burglary the day before. Police put the vehicle under surveillance. At 11:30 p.m. two males approached and proceeded to get into the vehicle, at which time officers confronted them. When the men ignored repeated commands to exit the vehicle, officers approached either side of the vehicle. While the passenger was detained, two officers and a sergeant attempted to forcibly remove the driver. At this time, the sergeant used a Taser to stun the driver, who punched the vehicle into reverse, running into the two officers and the sergeant. The driver then sped off in the vehicle with his lights off while officers fired on him.

One bystander, a 49-year-old man, was injured when a bullet fragment struck him in the leg. He was treated at a hospital nearby and released. The officers were also treated for moderate injuries and released. As is policy, the officers were put on administrative leave pending investigation. The suspect remained at large.

The 18-year-old suspect was located and eventually arrested in Cathedral City

On Thursday Jan. 9 at approximately 12:05 a.m. Cathedral City police identified the vehicle involved in the altercation located in a dirt lot in the 32700 block of Pueblo Trail. At this time the Coachella Valley Gang and Violent Crime Task Force, and officers from Beaumont, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Palm Springs converged on the neighborhood to search for the suspect. The entire block was cordoned off as officers searched for the suspect.

At approximately 11:20 a.m. officers surrounded a home believed to be harboring the suspect. An 18 year-old man, whose name has not been released, surrendered himself to police, needing medical attention for a least one gunshot wound. He was handcuffed and placed in an ambulance.

Palm Springs police are asking that anyone with information call Sheriff’s Investigator James Campos at (951) 955-2777 or to anonymously call Valley Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-7867.

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