El Centro police say stolen car accelerated toward officers; juvenile driver declared dead
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Summary
The El Centro Police Department released a recorded briefing saying a stolen Hyundai Elantra accelerated toward officers on Oct. 5; the driver, identified as a juvenile from Brawley, was declared deceased at the scene. The department said the event is the subject of three separate investigations and that body-worn and in-car camera footage was used in the briefing.
El Centro Police Department leaders released a recorded community briefing describing an officer-involved shooting on Oct. 5 in which a stolen Hyundai Elantra accelerated toward officers and the driver was declared deceased at the scene.
"You are about to view a critical incident community briefing designed to provide information about an officer involved shooting that occurred on October 5 in the City Of El Centro," Police Chief Kelly Brown said at the start of the video. Brown said the department's highest priority is the preservation of life and public safety and asked for patience while multiple investigations proceed.
Acting Deputy Chief Renee McNish gave a timeline in the briefing. "At approximately 06:30PM on October 5, officers from the El Centro Police Department responded after an automated license plate reader identified a stolen Hyundai Elantra traveling through the city," McNish said. She said officers located the vehicle in the rear parking lot of a restaurant in the 400 block of East Main Street, set up a perimeter and moved to engage the vehicle.
According to McNish, two subjects fled on foot as marked patrol units moved and positioned themselves in the driveway. "At this point, the suspect accelerated the stolen vehicle and drove it towards officers. Two of the officers were in direct path of the fleeing vehicle. That is when the officer involved shooting occurred," she said. The briefing included body-worn and in-car camera footage, still images and an animated sequence illustrating the vehicle's movement.
Officers and El Centro Fire paramedics rendered aid, but McNish said the driver was declared deceased at the scene. The briefing identified the driver as a juvenile from the city of Brawley. Two juvenile passengers in the vehicle were detained and not charged; two other juvenile subjects located later also were not charged, the briefing said.
Chief Brown stressed that the incident is the subject of three separate investigations. "The El Centro Police Department is conducting an investigation to determine if any crimes were committed," she said. Brown added that the Imperial County District Attorney's Office is conducting a criminal investigation "to determine if the officer's actions violated the law," and that the police department will conduct an internal investigation to determine whether officers acted according to department policy and procedures after the DA's investigation is complete.
Brown also said all available body-worn and in-car camera footage that captured the event was used in the production of the briefing; faces in the footage were redacted and viewers were warned the video may be disturbing.
The department did not announce any formal charges or administrative findings in the briefing. Officials urged the community to come together while the investigations proceed and directed listeners to the department website for more information.
