Crime & Safety

Investigation Continues Into Officer-Involved Shooting of Fugitive

Wanted on warrants for armed robbery and burglary, authorities say the suspect was considered armed and dangerous.

An investigation is under way into an officer-involved shooting of a fugitive in front of a grocery store in Lemon Grove Plaza on Wednesday. Authorities say 22-year-old Cedric Leroy Black was shot when he tried to run down a deputy U.S. marshal attempting to arrest him on two felony warrants for armed robbery and burglary, and three misdemeanor DUI-related warrants.

A brief chase ensued as the wounded suspect fled the Albertsons parking lot to westbound state Route 94. The pursuit ended when the car driven by Black crashed a short distance from the scene at the College Grove Way on-ramp, where he was taken into custody after a struggle.

According to authorities, the incident began about noon when deputy U.S. marshals and officers from the multiagency San Diego Fugitive Task Force pursuing the suspect “had to make a quick decision” to make the arrest.

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When Black pulled his four-door sedan into the shopping center parking lot, deputy marshals used their vehicles to pin in the car. It was then that the suspect rammed his car into law enforcement vehicles and tried to run down a deputy who was on foot, said Steve Jurman, a deputy U.S. marshal with the San Diego Fugitive Task Force.

A deputy marshal shot out the vehicle’s windshield and the suspect was hit by a bullet in an arm. Jurman could not say how many shots were fired.

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It wasn’t immediately known what additional charges might be brought against the suspect in connection with Wednesday’s incident, but assault seems likely.

“We’ll have discussions on what other charges he could be facing, certainly assault,” Jurman said. “I can’t speculate on what the United States Attorney’s Office or district attorney’s office will go forward with as far as charges.”

Jurman said that due to the warrants for armed robbery, the suspect was considered armed and dangerous.

A deputy involved in the incident suffered a minor injury to his knee, according to Jurman., though it wasn’t clear whether the injury was caused when the vehicle he was in was rammed or by the altercation to place the suspect under arrest following the crash.

The bullet wound to the suspect’s arm was not considered life threatening. He was treated by emergency personnel and transported to a hospital. As of late Wednesday night, Black had not been booked into County Jail.


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