Bay Area Rapid Transit police say they found a dead body inside the U-Haul being driven by the man suspected of shooting a BART officer. Ian Cull reports.
Bay Area Rapid Transit police say investigators discovered a dead body inside the U-Haul truck that officers saw being pushed by the man involved in a dramatic gunfight with BART police on Friday morning.
One of the officers was shot in the arm, and was later treated and released from Eden Valley Medical Center in Castro Valley. BART police said the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Charles Goetting, was transported to the same hospital where he was in stable condition after surgery.
Forensic investigators found an unidentified man's body inside the U-Haul connected to Goetting, a BART spokesperson said.
Earlier Friday, spokesperson Denisse Gonzalez said officers approached Goetting in a parking area at the Hayward BART station, near Grand and Claire streets, about 11:15 a.m. because they noticed the U-Haul had a back window smashed out and they thought he was acting suspiciously. As the officers tried to identify Goetting, he ran, turned and shot at the officers in pursuit, Gonzalez said.
BART Police officer shot at six times by person stopped by officer on street. Wounded in shoulder. Suspect wounded. pic.twitter.com/xqdfrALY7W
— Chuck Coppola (@CoppolaChuck) December 25, 2015Witness says suspect was trying to get away from being apprehended. Wounded in lower back. Backpack on ground. pic.twitter.com/BjhEkOHPDw
— Chuck Coppola (@CoppolaChuck) December 25, 2015Mauricio Palma, 15, who had just opened a new drone for Christmas, said he and his father ran out when they heard gunshots and saw two officers struggling to handcuff a man.
One of the officers was bleeding from his upper arm, Palma said.
"There was a lot of blood," he said. "He was kind of woozy." Palma said he advised the officer to put pressure on the wound and helped him up before a police car took him away.
Goetting is on probation in Alameda County for burglary, drug-dealing and weapons violations, police said.
The wounded officer has not been identified.
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Police said they would recommend attempted murder charges against Goetting.
The Hayward BART station remained open throughout the day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
