Antioch officer shot Food Maxx robbery suspect while trapped inside getaway car: police

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KGO) -- An armed robbery at a FoodMaxx in Antioch ended with an officer shooting a suspect while trapped inside the suspect's moving car.

Early Friday morning, employees at an Antioch FoodMaxx called 911 about robbery involving armed suspects.

"They smashed the doors and stuff trying to get the alcohol. They called the police right away. The police came right away. From what my husband was telling me, they didn't get away with the alcohol," says a wife of one of the employees, who did not want to be identified.

None of the employees were hurt.

But in an effort to getaway, police say one of the suspects rammed his vehicle into an occupied patrol car.

Another officer then got into what police called a "physical struggle" with the suspect. Police say at that point, the officer was pulled into the vehicle and the suspect took off with him trapped inside.

The suspect's vehicle ended up two miles away in the Estates neighborhood on Southwood Way. Streets were blocked for hours.

"My husband showed me what was outside our window. And I was in shock because there is like 10 police cars out there. And caution tape leading in every direction," says Shaela Huang, who lives across the street from where the suspect's vehicle was towed.

Antioch police say the officer in the car told the driver to stop multiple times, but was ignored. That's when officer shot the suspect, who was caught after trying to run away. He sustained non life-threatening injuries.

"It is just reckless and ignorant for people to do stuff like this. In a good neighborhood too, and a good community," says Simeyeon Smith, who lives near the FoodMaxx plaza.

Antioch police were not available for interviews. But Devin Williams with the Antioch Police Oversight Commission says he is glad no one was hurt as the suspect drove off.

"It seems like officers may have followed the correct policy measures. This one might have been a little bit different because I heard officer was pulled into the vehicle," says Williams.

The officer who shot the suspect is on paid leave as is protocol.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office is conducting their own investigation as well.

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