Police in a Northern California town announced a reward of $100,000 on March 12 for information about a man suspected of gunning down one of their officers at a police facility last month.
Hillsborough police, located about 20 miles south of San Francisco, said they hoped the urgent reward offer would help them identify and apprehend a suspect who shot one of their officers in a “brazen attack” at about 3:50 p.m. Feb. 22.
Police say during the shooting the unidentified suspect breached a secure area of the Hillsborough Police Department’s auxiliary facility on Floribunda Avenue and opened fire on the officer, causing an injury.
“The officer, despite being injured, returned fire, forcing the suspect to flee the scene on foot,” the police wrote in a release Wednesday.
Officers don’t know whether the suspect was wounded during the exchange.
The officer is expected to make a full recovery, the department reported March 1.
The officer was able to provide a limited description of the suspect from the brief encounter that only lasted seconds, the department reported.
The suspect is described as a possibly Hispanic male, possibly in his mid-20s to mid-30s, who was between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. The suspect may weigh about 165 pounds and was last seen wearing a black trucker hat, black windbreaker-type jacket possibly over a white short-sleeved shirt, dark-colored jeans with rhinestones on the back pockets, and flat-soled Nike shoes.
The suspect is believed to have medium-dark hair and a lighter complexion.
At the time of the incident, the suspect was armed with a firearm, which was partially concealed with a sweatshirt, according to Hillsborough police.
Investigators say the suspect was running southbound on El Camino Real in Burlingame at about 5:30 p.m. that day. He appeared anxious and was looking back frequently, according to police.
The $100,000 reward is offered for information leading to the suspect’s identification, arrest, and successful prosecution.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our community and holding accountable those who target our officers,” said Hillsborough Police Chief Nelson Corteway. “We urge anyone with information—no matter how small it may seem—to come forward and assist us in this critical investigation.”
The department was also interested in speaking with anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the vicinity of the police facility between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Feb. 22.
Residents and businesses with surveillance footage from that timeframe were encouraged to review their recordings and share any relevant material with authorities. Tips can be submitted by emailing [email protected].
The officer was shot in the chest, but wearing a bulletproof vest saved their life, according to department spokeswoman Capt. Meme Colla.
The officer was released from the hospital later that day and is recovering at home, the captain said. The reward money has resulted in several tips, she added.
“Since we posted the $100,000 reward offer, we have received several tips, which we are actively following up on,” Colla told The Epoch Times.
