Female Shooting Suspect Arrested at San Diego Marathon, Officer Accidentally Shoots Himself During Chase

A suspect is in custody following reports of an active shooter in San Diego, California, as [...]

By Michael Hein

A suspect is in custody following reports of an active shooter in San Diego, California, as thousands gathered for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on Sunday.

San Diego authorities say an officer accidentally shot himself in the leg while pursuing a suspect who pointed a weapon at police and was eventually arrested on the roof of a parking structure.

Police responded to call of shots fired near the near the marathon, according to a report by CBS 8. Few details are available, but sources close to the investigation said that a woman was taken into custody. She is believed to have been the shooter.

The incident was first called in at 11:09 a.m. local time. It began at C Street between Second and Third avenues, not far from the finish line for both the full and half marathons planned for the day. Shortly after the first call, police reportedly announced that the situation "had been contained."

A police officer on the scene was reportedly injured by an accidental self-inflicted gunshot to the leg, but so far no other information on injuries or casualties has been made available. Reporters on the scene said that parts of the marathon route remained blocked off for a while as law enforcement continued investigating. Finally, shortly after noon, the marathon actually resumed.

One reporter noted that police seemed to be concerned with the top two floors of a parking garage not far from the Civic Center Plaza. It's unclear how the area might have factored into the shooting.

An early report from a law enforcement official said that a male suspect was found on a rooftop with a gun, while a later one suggested that only one female suspect had been taken into custody. Police stated that only one suspect was taken into custody.

"There is no longer a threat to the community," San Diego Police Department officials said in a statement. "The scene is secure. The Rock and Roll Marathon has resumed."

The gun scare flared up on the same weekend as more student protests calling for gun reform. Friday was National Gun Violence Awareness Day. In New York City, students marched under the banner of Youth Over Guns, in collaboration with the March For Our Lives organizers.

Students called on lawmakers to prioritize their safety and stop taking money from the National Rifle Association. They also sought to encourage voters to be aware of their elected officials' stance on gun policy.

While the movement does not take one unified stance on gun laws, some students did disseminate information about bills and possible solutions to the mass shooting epidemic. Student protester Delaney Tarr posted several tweets about the Gun Tracing Modernization Act, put introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont.

"If you have a moment today, look up the gun tracing modernization act," she wrote. "It takes an archaic paper system for tracking guns back to owners and makes it digital. It's absolutely necessary in the fight against gun violence."

1comments
Comments ( 1 )

of