SAN JOSE — The man who shot and seriously injured a San Jose police officer on Wednesday is facing a potential life sentence in prison, according to prosecutors.
Gabriel Mario Carreras, 44, will be formally arraigned Friday afternoon at the Hall of Justice in San Jose, where he’ll face a felony charge for attempted murder of a police officer and various firearm assault charges, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors also detailed the major injuries to the officer for the first time since the incident, as she remained in critical but stable condition as of midday Friday.
Carreras was arrested Tuesday following a standoff with police lasting roughly four hours at a residence west of downtown San Jose. Two officers responded to a family disturbance call at a condominium complex near Auzerais Avenue and Race Street around 7:51 a.m., after a pregnant woman who lives there called police and reported that her husband was drunk, tried to hit her and broke down a bathroom door, San Jose Police Chief Mata said later at a news conference.
Shortly after their arrival, the officer and her partner called up to the second-story home and identified themselves as police officers. That’s when Carreras opened fire, striking the female officer, authorities said; the officers did not fire back, as the wounded officer’s partner moved her to cover and called for help.
According to the DA”s news release on Friday, the officer was struck by a single bullet in the abdomen, just below her bulletproof vest. The bullet caused damage to her intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder and fractured her spine.
Backup arrived at the scene as the injured officer’s partner began to treat her injuries.
In a social media post, South Bay Assemblymember Evan Low identified the wounded officer’s partner as his brother.
“Please send your encouragement to the officer who remains in the hospital and to my brother, who is my hero,” Low wrote. “Yes, my support for law enforcement is deeply personal but they should also have your support. They risk this for all of us.”
Responding officers at the scene reported hearing at least two more gunshots, according to prosecutors. At some point, Carreras passed out; the pregnant woman took his weapon away and escaped.
She told officers that he punched her stomach and attempted to blame the police shooting on her.
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Carreras legally was not allowed to possess the weapon as he’s a convicted felon, Mata said on Wednesday. Court records show Carreras was convicted in 2005 of assault with a deadly weapon and participating in a criminal street gang. The gun used in Wednesday’s shooting was unregistered, per prosecutors.
“There are too many guns in too many dangerous people’s hands,” said District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who has been an outspoken advocate for better safety against gun violence throughout the country. “Too many people are getting shot, including police officers. Today, an officer lies badly wounded in the hospital for trying to save a pregnant woman. As we give our sincerest thanks to her and her heroic partner, we are determined to make sure this suspect will never see a gun or freedom again.”
