Two San Diego police officers were shot late Saturday and hospitalized responding to an incident they first thought may be an apartment fire. The suspect who allegedly shot the two officers was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is not yet known. One officer was last reported in stable condition and the other was in serious but stable condition, police said. When police first arrived on scene, they observed and smelled what appeared to be a fire and called the fire department. When authorities tried to open the door to the apartment, they were met with gunfire. One officer shot back. The firefighter attempting to enter the structure along with the police officers ended up in an adjoining apartment, out of the way of the shooter, authorities said. The firefighter was extracted from that apartment by a SWAT team and didn't suffer any significant injuries. Police said they don't know what type of weapon the suspect used or whether he was wearing any type of body armor. Police have not yet entered the apartment and wouldn't confirm whether a robot was used to investigate. Authorities don't have a motive for the suspect at this time.<doc-sep>A police dog team waits near the scene of the shooting. Courtesy OnScene.TV Updated at 9:05 a.m., Sunday, June 24 Two San Diego Police officers were shot and wounded, one seriously, in a standoff at a condominium near San Diego State University that left the suspect dead Sunday. One officer, a three-year veteran of the department, was listed in serious, but stable condition, at an area hospital. The second officer, an 18-year veteran of the department, was listed in stable condition. Both men are expected to survive their injuries, said San Diego police chief David Nisleit during a 7:30 a..m. news conference at police headquarters. Officers were dispatched about 10:15 p.m. Saturday to 4860 Rolando Court, Nisleit said, in response to a “violent disturbance” call. “Officers got there and knocked on the door and got no response,” he said. “But at that time, smelled what they thought was fire.” Officers requested the fire department. “Officers made a decision to open the door. Before they did that they, though, they knocked on the door and asked the occupant to respond. “There was no response so the officers opened the door,” he continued. “Upon opening the door, they were met by gunfire.” It was unclear if the suspect, who was found dead inside the apartment, was struck by police gunfire, Nisleit said. Two of three officers there shot their guns. The San Diego Union Tribune reported that the suspect was a man in his 30s, who was wearing body armor. “It is believed that he was probably lighting something on fire, but until we get inside and take a look at the apartment, we do not fully know that,” said Nisleit, adding that the caller to police “heard cursing being thrown about” possibly to a female. A SWAT team had continued to confront the barricaded suspect in a standoff that lasted more than two hours. “We had to do quite a few evacuations,” Nisleit said. A San Diego Police negotiation unit moves into place. Courtesy OnScene.TV Several residents from the nearby Tuscany Place apartment complex were evacuated during the standoff, but were allowed to return as of 2 a.m. Nisleit said the department’s Homicide Unit was — at 7:30 a.m. — still waiting for a judge to approve a search warrant for the home. Two Homicide Unit teams were at the location, said San Diego police Capt, Mike Hastings. “This will be a long process throughout the day — maybe into the evening,” the police chief said. Nisleit said the suspect has a “criminal history” and that police have response to the location “numerous times over the last several years.” The name of the suspect will be released pending notification of next of kin, he said. “Obviously,” Nisleit said, “You can imagine last night was a rough night for the San Diego Police Department.” — City News Service<doc-sep>
San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said two officers were shot while responding to a disturbance on Saturday night. (CNN) — Two San Diego Police officers were shot after they breached an apartment that smelled of smoke on Saturday night, police officials said. The officers were dispatched to the Tuscany Place Apartments, near San Diego State University, after someone reported hearing cursing, objects being thrown and a man yelling at a woman in a violent manner, police chief David Nisleit said. When the officers arrived, they knocked on the door but got no response. After smelling smoke coming from inside the apartment, the officers called the fire department to the scene, Nisleit said. The officers then breached the door and were immediately met with gunfire, Nisleit said. Officers returned fire, said Nisleit, adding that “many” shots were fired in the standoff. A 3-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department was shot multiple times and is in serious but stable condition. An 18-year veteran of the police force was also shot and is in stable condition. Both are expected to make full recoveries, Nisleit said. A male suspect in the shooting was found dead at the scene. However, it’s unclear if he was hit by police gunfire. Hearing the emergency request for help come over the radio was the “worst call you can ever get,” Nisleit said. “And that’s why you saw such a county-wide response for this call for help,” he added. ” And I can tell you, every single chief, every single officer behind me, and myself, when you get that call, your stomach just sinks and you’re just hoping that nobody dies. “I’m blessed that none of our officers died. We have one that’s very seriously injured, but looks like he’ll make a full recovery, and I’m very thankful for that.” Nisleit said the suspect had a criminal history and that police were called to the location numerous times over the last several years.