San Jose officer shot in home standoff with armed robbery suspect

A San Jose police officer was shot and critically wounded Tuesday after chasing an armed robbery suspect into a family's home near Goodyear Street. The suspect was killed in the exchange of fire.

Officer wounded, suspect killed in San Jose home shootout

A San Jose police officer was shot at least once and rushed to Valley Medical Center in critical condition Tuesday afternoon after a gun battle inside a private residence near Goodyear Street and Lick Avenue, NY Post Metro reports. The suspect, who had forced his way into the home, was also struck by return fire and died at the scene.

The confrontation began around 12:30 p.m. when officers spotted a man wanted in connection with two armed robberies driving an SUV in the area. When officers attempted to stop him, the suspect drew a weapon, fled on foot, abandoned the vehicle, and forced his way through the back door of a nearby home — an act captured on separate surveillance footage obtained by ABC7.

Police followed the suspect inside in order to protect the occupants. "Our officers located the suspect, at which point the suspect shot at two officers, striking one officer at least once," San Jose Police Department Public Information Representative Stacie Shih told ABC7. Officers returned fire, hitting the suspect at least once.

Dramatic footage obtained by ABC7 shows officers rushing into the home before a burst of gunfire and then escorting three residents to safety — including a man carrying a baby and a second child.

Homeowners Brett and Angela Bymaster were not present during the incident, but their son-in-law and grandchildren were inside. "They got him out safely. And just as he left, the man was killed with an assault rifle," Brett Bymaster told the network.

Angela Bymaster credited the baby's crying with pulling the family away from the part of the house where the suspect entered seconds later. "God protected them and saved them. Just seconds before the man came in, the baby cried, and they all went to look for the baby — and that just pulled them out of where danger was," she said.

The wounded officer had stabilized and was reported to be in good spirits by early Wednesday, according to police. The shooting prompted a large law enforcement response, with San Jose police and Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies deploying with weapons drawn in the surrounding area.

Police have not yet released the suspect's identity while investigators work to establish the full sequence of events.

Source: NY Post Metro