SAN DIEGO — A woman armed with a pellet gun apparently fired several shots from a parking garage in downtown San Diego early Sunday, prompting a big police response and several street closings near the finish line of a marathon, authorities said.
The suspect, who police said may be connected to a kidnapping in Chula Vista, was arrested without incident, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said.
The incident prompted the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon to be closed for about 30 minutes, officials said. About 4,900 participants were redirected to City College.
The incident began as a call about a misdemeanor hit-and-run around 10:50 a.m., said San Diego police Sgt. Tom Sullivan.
About the same time, police were told that a man in Chula Vista had escaped an alleged kidnapping. The assailant matched the description of the woman driver involved in the hit-and-run crash.
“We believe these two incidents are going to be tied together,” Nisleit said. Police did not elaborate on the alleged kidnapping.
A short time later, the suspect was spotted near the San Diego Concourse, a parking garage. As she pulled into the garage, she allegedly pointed what appeared to be a gun at the officer behind her.
The officer shot at the woman, but she was not hit, police said. Another officer accidentally shot himself and was taken to a hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.
It’s unclear what prompted the initial shooting, but Nisleit said the crew of a police helicopter thought they saw the woman firing from the garage onto the street below.
Nisleit said the woman threw her weapon, later determined to be an airsoft rifle, over the side of the parking garage onto a street.
The incident was close to the finish line of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, and the race was suspended for about a half hour, said Josh Furlow, managing director of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. About 4,900 runners were rerouted and directed to stay at San Diego City College.
Tyree Waller said he had just crossed the finish line when police shut down the race. The experienced runner from Atlanta said the marathon was his seventh, and that the incident didn’t change his perspective on race safety.
“No, I’m still going to keep on running,” Waller said.
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