Suspect Killed by CHP was Attempting a Carjacking on Highway 101: Police

SAN MATEO, CA - The suspect fatally shot by California Highway Patrol officers on Highway 101 in San Mateo Friday evening was in the process of attempting to carjack a woman at gunpoint, police said Saturday.

The suspect, whose identity hasn't yet been released, was attempting to steal the car of another driver, a 55-year-old woman from the East Bay, according to San Mateo police Capt. Dave Norris.

The incident was originally reported as a collision, and the woman was uninjured beyond a complaint of pain from the collision, Norris said.

The suspect reportedly got out of a vehicle on the highway's northbound lanes and began shooting. Three CHP officers responded to the scene just after 5:30 p.m. and engaged with the armed man, police said.

All three fired their weapons, killing him, according to police. Northbound Highway 101 was closed for hours, creating a massive traffic jam at rush hour and beyond.

California Highway Patrol officers arrived on the scene to find the suspect brandishing a handgun, Norris said.

Independent witnesses confirmed that the officers tried to de-escalate the suspect's behavior, Norris said, ordering him to drop the firearm and attempting to negotiate with him.

CHP officers at the scene and responding San Mateo police made efforts to render first aid to the suspect immediately following the shooting, Norris said.

Inspectors with the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office are investigating the legality of the officers' actions. San Mateo police are investigating the alleged criminal aspects of the suspect, Norris said.

The CHP is also conducting an administrative investigation of the officers' actions, Norris said.

- Bay City News / Image via Shutterstock