Fremont Police Identify Dead Suspect

FREMONT, CA -  Fremont Police have identified the suspect who was found dead Thursday morning after being barricaded overnight in a home. He was Gerald Villabrille, 44, of San Jose. Police believe Villabrille shot two of their officers yesterday afternoon in separate incidents about 10 minutes apart. 

At an afternoon news conference, it was revealed that two people, a male and female, were taken into custody. Their identities have not been revealed.

Villabrille had been barricaded in a home on Roberts, which burned to the ground after gas was fired into it. Also killed was a dog owned by the residents of the home who were away when Villabrille took refuge inside.

The police officers were shot in separate incidents Wednesday afternoon. One of the officers is in critical condition while the other is stable.

The home is within the containment perimeter set up following the shooting. Gas was fired into the home at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect called 9-1-1 and police began negotiating with him in an attempt to get him to surrender. He claimed to have taken a hostage at the home which Police Chief Richard Lucero said they knew was a lie. AT one point, Lucero said he even fired a gunshot and claimed to have shot his hostage. 

A second round of gas was fired into the home early in the morning. A fire broke out. When it was extinguished, the suspect was found dead inside along with a gun that police believe was used to shoot the officers.

The fire department reported via Twitter, "This is a defensive fire. No firefighters going inside."

The Oakland Police Department took over the tactical lead on the manhunt/barricade operation at around 6 a.m. Fremont initially had the lead, and was later relieved by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. 

A shelter in place order was lifted Thursday morning. The Red Cross had set up an emergency shelter for displaced residents at the Senior Center.

Schools were open Thursday.

More than 100 officers from multiple agencies in the East Bay and beyond converged on Fremont to hunt down the suspect. 

The manhunt began at 1:33 when a patrol officer radioed that a vehicle had backed into him and he was down. Shots were also fired at that location. Multiple suspects left the scene on foot, splitting up.

A detective was shot by the suspect at the second location about 10 minutes after the first shooting. The suspect again escaped on foot.

Previous coverage:

2 Police Officers Shot in Fremont; Residents on Lockdown: UPDATE

Fremont Police Shooting Suspect Still Barricaded

Photo credit: Fremont Fire Department