SAN JOSE – 50-year-old Ronald William Woods was shot by San Jose Police after what was first termed a welfare check became a violent confrontation with the suspect. Woods has been charged with booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for 148 (d) PC – attempting to take a firearm from an officer, and 664/487 (d)(2) PC – attempted grand theft of a firearm.
According to San Jose Police, “On Thursday, September 24, 2015, at 6:34 p.m., San Jose Police officers were dispatched to the 6100 block of Monterey Road on a welfare check on suspect Woods, who was threatening to kill himself.”
Ronald William Woods
When SJPD Officer Morales located Woods at the Monterey Oaks Mobile Home Park, Woods approached him, and greeted the officer from the right front passenger side of his patrol vehicle. During this initial contact, Woods made a comment to the officer that he wanted his gun. That is when SJPD Officer Morales exited his vehicle to make further contact with Woods.
It was then that Woods began to reach into the police vehicle through the open window and started to ransack a bag on the front passenger seat. That is when Officer Morales gave verbal commands for Woods to step back from the vehicle. However, Woods did not comply. Officer Morales tried to use his taser on Woods to try to get him to stop, but the taser had little effect, as he continued to try and reach inside the vehicle for a what he presumed to be a weapon.
Woods then advanced towards Officer Morales, who backed away and sprayed Woods with his OC (pepper) Spray. However, it had minimal effect on Woods, and he continued to ignore commands.
Woods then moved onto the street towards the open driver’s door of the police vehicle, where he reached inside, grabbed the shotgun and attempted to remove it from the rack. Officer Morales gave the suspect commands to exit the vehicle and get on the ground, but he continued to pull on the shotgun. Officer Morales believed Woods had successfully grabbed the shotgun and he shot Woods as he turned towards him.
Woods went to the ground. Other officers arrived on scene, while Woods continued his failure to comply with their commands and attempted to get up. Another officer shot a 40mm non-lethal round at the suspect. An arrest team was formed and Woods was taken into custody.
San Jose Fire Department and EMS personnel treated Woods at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital with at least one gunshot wound. He is listed in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.
Woods was turned over to the custody of the Santa Clara County Department of Corrections to be booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for attempting to take a firearm from an officer and attempted grand theft of a firearm.
Officer Morales was placed on paid administrative leave. This was the City’s ninth officer involved shooting of 2015.
