SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – An officer-involved shooting investigation forced the closure of all northbound Interstate 805 lanes in San Diego's Lincoln Park area Monday morning.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred just after 7:45 a.m. during a traffic stop on the right shoulder of northbound I-805 at Imperial Avenue.
CHP officials said an officer was wrapping up a traffic stop involving a vehicle when a Scion “pulled up and stopped his vehicle on the right shoulder behind the officer’s patrol car.”
The officer made contact with the Scion’s driver and saw that the driver was holding a knife while in the vehicle. According to CHP officials, the officer backed away and “advised CHP Dispatch of the situation.”
CHP officials said, “At some point the driver exited his vehicle and began to advance on the officer while brandishing the knife.”
Despite warnings from the officer to stop, the driver charged towards the officer, prompting the officer to open fire.
The motorist was struck and then taken into custody, CHP officials said. The driver, identified as a Hispanic adult male, was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The CHP officer, a 5 1/2-year veteran of the agency, was not hurt in the incident, officials confirmed.
It remains unclear what the driver's motive was in the incident, CHP said.
During a press briefing, a CHP official noted, "We believe all shots were fired away from traffic.”
Due to the investigation, all northbound I-805 lanes at Imperial Ave. were shut down, with traffic detoured off the freeway.
All northbound lanes were reopened just before 1:30 p.m.
