A suspect who was shot Thursday by a Richmond police officer was carrying drugs and a semi-automatic handgun, police said.
Richmond police Capt. Mark Gagan said crime scene technicians found a sandwich bag full of methamphetamine and "other bags" of marijuana.
Gagan said the drugs and gun could help explain the suspect's actions. "I'm not going to speculate on the suspect's motives, but him being armed with a firearm and drugs sizable enough for sale is a relevant factor in this incident," Gagan said.
Around 1:30 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 2000 block of Nevin Avenue tried to speak with a man who the officer believed was suspicious.The suspect allegedly pulled out a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and the officer shot him, Gagan said.
The suspect was transported to a local trauma center in critical condition and Gagan said the man was in surgery just before 4 p.m.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office is investigating the case, Gagan said.
Earlier in the day, Richmond police Chief Chris Magnus wrote on Twitter about an officer who was shot in the line of duty in Flagstaff, Arizona.
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"Just how fast do officers face danger, even death?" Magnus wrote in the tweet, which included a link to what he called a "chilling video" from the officer's body camera.
