An armed driver with a gang history was shot and killed by San Bernardino police after fleeing a traffic stop early Thursday morning, Nov. 7, authorities said Saturday.
Around 9:15 a.m. Thursday, two San Bernardino police officers stopped a vehicle for multiple code violations near the 1400 block of West 7th St., the San Bernardino Police Department said in a news release.
The driver, Albert Jose Rodriguez Jr. 48, was uncooperative and refused orders to stop reaching into his shirt, where a firearm was later located. Officers then attempted to remove Rodriguez from the vehicle.
A struggle ensued, and Rodriguez attempted to drive away. The officer on the passenger side leaned into the vehicle to remove the keys and unbuckle his seatbelt. Rodriguez managed to drive away, trapping this officer in the vehicle and injuring the other officer at the scene, the release said.
While the vehicle was moving, Rodriguez reached for the weapon, later determined to be loaded, police said. The officer in the car shot him, and took control of the wheel to steer it away from other motorists.
Rodriguez was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A search of the vehicle revealed what officers suspect were narcotics. Rodriguez was a known gang member with an extensive criminal history, including charges of assault with a deadly weapon, narcotics sales, and a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the release.
The San Bernardino Police Department Homicide Unit is conducting an investigation, overseen by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
