San Jose Police Search for Gunman Who Led Them on Wild Goose Chase

San Jose police lifted shelter-in-place orders and lockdowns at three schools after a shooting Friday morning.

Police lifted the shelter-in-place order and the lockdown at Blackford Elementary School, Valley Christian Elementary and Del Mar High School about 11:50 a.m., police spokesman Albert Morales said.

The shooting took place about 5 a.m. in the 1700 block of the Southwest Expressway. The victim suffered at least one gunshot wound and is recovering at a local hospital from injuries that are not life-threatening, police said.

Police described the suspect as a man about 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing dark clothing. When police canvassed the neighborhood after the shooting, they saw a person matching that description.

As police attempted to make contact, the man started running.

Police set up a perimeter to search for the man. Neighbors in the area were ordered to shelter in place and the schools were locked down while police conducted their search, police said. The orders were in place for most of this morning.

Morales said it appears the shooting suspect made it outside of the perimeter police set up to apprehend him, but investigators have some leads.

"So everything is back to normal out there," Morales said. "We'll just continue to do our follow up."

In what appears to be an unrelated incident, a car hit the side of Blackford Elementary before 9 a.m.

Campbell Union School District's Marl Olszewsk said the car struck the side of the elementary school at 1970 Willow Street after the driver had some sort of medical event. The San Jose Mercury News said it was a father who was dropping off a child. Children were asked to shelter in place as a precautionary measure. She said that accident was not connected to the search for the gunman.

The NBC Bay Area chopper spotted at least two people being transported into an ambulance. The Mercury News reported their injuries were minor.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

Copyright BAYCN - Bay City News
Contact Us