Tense standoff underway with suspect in Fremont officer-involved shootings

Matt Keller Image
ByMatt Keller KGO logo
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Fire at house where police say suspect in officer-involved shooting is barricaded, Fremont, California, Thursday, June 2, 2016.
Fire at house where police say suspect in officer-involved shooting is barricaded, Fremont, California, Thursday, June 2, 2016.
kgo-Fremont Fire Department/Twitter

FREMONT, Calif. -- A massive search for the man who authorities say shot two Fremont police officers has turned into a tense all-night standoff. A fire has broken out at the home where police say the suspect is holed up.

Police say they haven't heard from the suspect since about 3:30 a.m. when his phone died.

The Oakland police SWAT team is taking over for the Alameda County sheriff's office, who has been out here since 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when this all started. Tear gas was fired into the home around 2:15 a.m. The suspect was able to resist coming out.

The suspect's parents were here at the scene. The sheriff's department says they tried to help with negotiations but the suspect was still not willing to come out.

The closures and impact on the city during the search yesterday has changed. Law enforcement now has a message for Fremont residents.

"What the community should know is that we're confined to this location now, and that the greater area is safe for them to go about their business. We're focused in on this one house, on this one block, in this city," Alameda County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ray Kelly.

The sheriff's spokesman says the suspect is a Bay Area resident and law enforcement is familiar with him. Authorities say this is not the suspect's home. Police say the suspect may have shot off a lock to gain entry.

Law enforcement says daylight will help them with this situation, allowing them to get a better look at the home.

Officials said all Fremont schools will remain open today, as the situation is confined to the home.

The incident began Wednesday when a Fremont police officer tried making a traffic stop on this white truck behind an Auto Zone store. But the suspect backed into the officers vehicle and shot the officer.

The suspect, wearing an orange Giants jersey took off running into a Safeway store. Then he went over a fence and onto Roberts Avene where shots were fired again and a second officer was wounded.

More than 100 officers from throughout the Bay Area came to aid in the suspect search.

Fremont police haven't released the officers' names, but they say the one in critical condition has been with the department for a year. The detective who's stable has been with the department for a decade.