SAN JOSE — Police have announced the arrest of a shooting suspect after reports of someone shooting at random people in the area of Fruitdale and Meridian.
On Saturday, March 12th, at approximately 3:30 AM, police arrived at the 7-Eleven at 1430 Fruitdale Avenue to find that the suspect had confronted several people outside and had fired a gun in their direction.
Reports then came in of someone firing randomly from a vehicle, and three more patrol cars arrived to conduct a high-risk stop.
Police said that when the suspect began to pull over, he aimed a firearm out the window and began firing again, striking one of the patrol cars.
Three officers then returned fire and the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Steven Pedroza, was hit at least once.
He was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is due to be booked into the county jail on felony charges of attempted murder of a police officer and unlawful discharge of a firearm.
A female passenger who’d been in the car with Pedroza was questioned and released pending further investigation.
The officers involved in the shooting were placed on routine paid administrative lead while the investigation is underway. SJPD’s Homicide unit is conducting a formal criminal investigation, alongside a follow-up by Internal Affairs, the DA’s Office, and the Office of the Independent Police Auditor for the city of San Jose.
