SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — A police officer, on his way home from work, was the target of an attack Wednesday afternoon near his home in Tijuana.
Surveillance video widely shared on social media shows a black SUV slamming into the officer’s private car and assailants firing automatic weapons at the officer.
The images also show the officer opening the passenger side door, crawling out of the car, and running from the area.
It’s not clear if the officer was hit by any of the bullets, although he was hospitalized and is reportedly in stable condition, according to José Sánchez González, Tijuana’s director of public safety.
Sánchez González also said the search continues for two suspects after their vehicle was located a short distance away minutes after the attack.
“Sometimes the officers are targets due to the nature of their work,” he said. ‘The “The people they arrest or encounter, at times, it’s related to activities outside the law. It happens a lot once you arrest someone, you get threats and sometimes those threats are carried out.”
When asked if the officer involved had received threats, Sánchez Gonzalez said he was not aware of any.
During a news conference with reporters Wednesday evening, he expressed disappointment the video depicting the attack had been made public and placed on social media, hindering the investigation as he put it.
“We don’t know who released it, but it’s going to make it harder for state investigators to find the people responsible.”
He warned if it was a member of his own police department, there would be heavy sanctions and disciplinary action.
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