A San Jose police officer is hospitalized in critical condition after she was shot Wednesday while responding to a reported domestic violence incident near downtown, police said.
The veteran cop is the first woman officer shot in the line of duty in San Jose, Chief Anthony Mata said, adding she has 10 years of experience. Wednesday's incident marked the second cop to be shot in San Jose, according to Mata.
"Today we are extremely blessed we didn't lose another officer," Mata said. "I am tired and angry that violence and firearms in the hands of those who shouldn't have them continue to be present in our communities, putting everyone in danger."
Police said officers responded at about 8:20 a.m. to the 1300 block of Auzerais Avenue to investigate a report of a family disturbance.
"Shortly after arrival, officers made contact at the residence and immediately began taking fire from a suspect," San Jose police Sgt. Jorge Garibay said.
"When I woke up and went to my window thinking 'wow was that a gunshot or a firework?' I realized it was a gunshot and I saw the man closing the blinds," said Jackie Lambert of San Jose. "I started hearing the police officer in a lot of pain."
Mata later in a briefing said the two officers responding to the incident were ambushed by a convicted felon with a gun. The chief said the officer was shot once in the upper torso outside of the bulletproof vest.
The suspect after the shooting then barricaded himself with his wife at the residence, police said.
"They actually took our kitchen table and flipped it on its side and pushed it up against our counter space in order to get a good vantage point," said Lambert.
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The wife was later able to escape and after about a four-hour standoff the suspect was taken into custody, police said.
No one else was found inside the residence.
Mata identified the suspect as 44-year-old Gabriel Mario Carreras.
