Trending Topics

Calif. officer shot in abdomen during struggle with armed suspect inside police holding cell

The Pittsburg officer was shot when he entered the holding cell to transport the suspect to county jail

Pittsburg Police Department, Pittsburg, CA

Pittsburg Police Department, Pittsburg, CA/Facebook

By Nate Gartrell, Hema Sivanandam
Bay Area News Group

PITTSBURG, Calif. — A Pittsburg police officer and a man suspected of a felony were both shot and wounded during a struggle inside the police department Thursday afternoon, forcing a shutdown of both City Hall and the adjoined police station, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

The officer, who was not publicly identified, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The man who allegedly shot him was also taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his ankle, authorities said. A third person was reportedly injured during a scuffle inside a police holding cell that followed the shooting.

| SPECIAL REPORT: Find the hidden gaps in your agency’s logistics readiness

Sources say the suspect, identified only as a 31-year-old man, was somehow able to sneak a gun into the holding cell after his arrest, and discharged it when an officer came in to transport him to county jail. The man’s name was not released.

Both the officer and the suspect are expected to survive. The officer underwent successful surgery Thursday evening, authorities said.

The incident prompted a third-party investigation by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, which is typical for police shootings with death or serious injuries.

By 5 p.m. Thursday, the police station and City Hall were partitioned off with crime scene tape. City staff seen exiting the building didn’t respond to inquiries. A news release from the city says the shooting occurred during the booking process before the man was transferred to county jail.

Trending
The Guadalupe County deputy was responding to a report of a suspected break-in when a man and a woman attacked him
The suspect, who allegedly planned to behead ICE agents, faced multiple charges, but all but the two destructive-device charges were dismissed due to his guilty plea
The plane was inbound when the beam hit the aircraft, according to a statement from the CSP; the crew aborted the landing and circled to find the source
Officers followed the sound of gunfire to a higher floor, where a haze significantly limited their visibility; two people were killed and the suspect was found dead

©2026 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Company News
Registration Closes Soon for September 14–16 Gathering of Public Safety and FirstNet Communications Leaders