SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata revealed Tuesday that he believes the suspect behind a series of shootings over the weekend was intentionally targeting officers.
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The incident began late Friday evening when two patrol officers stopped a man at an intersection for erratic driving. According to Mata, the man got out of the car and began open firing at the officers. The officers shot back, hitting the car, but missing the suspect.
The man was followed to a nearby residence where he again fired at officers, hitting one in the leg. The suspect, identified as Noe Orlando Mendoza, was later detained.
"The bullet hole in the patrol car's windshield, centered where an officer had been only moments before, is as chilling a sight as I have ever seen," Mata said during a press conference.
Following an investigation, authorities discovered that Mendoza had been stalking police officers at three separate locations for hours prior to his arrest. The suspect's vehicle was seen at a police substation, at police headquarters and was also seen following two patrol cars.
"Mendoza's pattern of stalking San Jose police officers at three locations around the city gives us some idea of the deliberate, premeditated nature of his intention to kill officers that night," Mata said, describing the shooting as an "ambush style attack."
The motive is still under investigation. The injured officer was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has since been released. More investigations are being done into the officers who shot at the suspect. Mata said this incident speaks to the extreme dangers that can accompany police work.
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