Officer shoots suspected car thief in Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA >> A Santa Clara police officer shot a suspected car thief early Saturday morning after the man allegedly backed his vehicle into a patrol car and then refused to listen to commands to stop, police said.

Omar Gomez, 24, of San Jose, was taken to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery and was listed Saturday in stable condition, according to a news release from Santa Clara police.

The officer, whose identity was not released, was not injured. As is routine in officer-involved shootings, he was placed on paid administrative leave.

Gomez, who was driving a stolen vehicle, is on parole for felony burglary and does not have a driver’s license, police said.

The confrontation occurred at 1:43 a.m. near El Camino and Scott Boulevard in Santa Clara, police said.

About half an hour earlier, Sunnyvale police had issued a bulletin about a vehicle that had been stolen in their city.

The Santa Clara officer involved in the shooting spotted the stolen vehicle, called for backup and then pulled over the car.

After the officers stepped out of their patrol cars, Gomez, whose car was apparently boxed in by the two cop cars, allegedly put his car in reverse and rammed it into one of the patrol vehicles.

The officers shouted at him to stop, but he ignored their commands, police said. One officer, in fear for his life, shot Gomez, the news release stated.

Gomez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, possessing stolen property and violating parole.