San Jose

Suspect Identified in Latest SJPD Officer-Involved Shooting

Sunday incident marked the third SJ police shooting in a week, and such incidents are taking a toll on department, chief says

Police have identified a 29-year-old man who allegedly exchanged gunfire with an officer in East San Jose on Sunday morning as Kevin Riley, of San Jose. It was the third officer-involved shooting by San Jose police in a week.

The 16-year veteran officer who shot at Riley, Thomas Barnard, was placed on paid administrative leave. No one was harmed in the incident, police said, but the number and frequency of such incidents are starting to take a toll on the department, according to police leaders.

Barnard was one of the officers who responded around 8 a.m. to a report of a suspicious person armed with a handgun in the 2200 block of Tully Road, near the Reid-Hillview Airport.

When police arrived and started giving Riley commands, the suspect allegedly pulled out a .45 caliber pistol and fired at the officers, so Barnard fired back, police said.

Riley allegedly ran away from the officers and hopped a fence into a nearby mobile home complex.

Police established a perimeter and found Riley and the gun, which was determined to have been stolen in 2013, shortly after.

Riley was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of possession of a stolen firearm and three counts of attempted murder of a police officer.

The suspect is being held without bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident comes days after two fatal officer-involved shootings by San Jose police, one of which took place in East San Jose. Chief Eddie Garcia said the surge in violence is taking a toll on his officers and the understaffed department as a whole.

"We, our officers, have been attacked by individuals; this is another example,' Garcia said. "Absolutely, it's weighing on the psyche of our officers."

Police Officers Association President Paul Kelly agreed that each incident, especially happening so close together, raises the stress level for officers.

"There's definitely an effect on whether they're married and how it affects their spouse and children, mom and dad," Kelly said. "So it's not just the officers. It's the officer and the entire family.

"God forbid we get into a shooting and we have to hurt someone or kill someone in order to save someone else's life," he continued. "We know we have to do that, but again, you have to live with that, something you do not want to live with."

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office will review the police homicide unit's criminal investigation once complete. The police internal affairs unit, the City Attorney's Office and the Office of the Independent Police Auditor are monitoring the case.

Anyone with information about Sunday's incident has been asked to call San Jose police Detective Sgt. John Barg or Detective Wayne Smith at (408) 277-5283. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call (408) 947-7867.

Informants providing details that lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

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