San Diego Officer Opens Fire After Suspect Reaches for Gun Like Object

This police video, shared by the source PoliceActivity, describes a January 22, 2026 incident in San Diego, California. Officers responded to a stolen vehicle report, located it later that afternoon, and a pursuit followed that ended when the vehicle crashed into a light pole on Jamacha Road. According to the description, the driver was ordered repeatedly to get on the ground and not to reach for a object that appeared to be a firearm. Officers discharged weapons and the suspect was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The firearm was later determined to be a gold lighter made to look like a revolver. The driver has been criminally charged by the district attorney's office with felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle and vehicle theft.

• Stolen vehicle report and pursuit in San Diego on January 22, 2026
• Vehicle crashed into a light pole after running stop signs and red lights
• Officers used a taser and service weapons; suspect taken to hospital in stable condition
• Object found at scene was later identified as a gold lighter styled as a revolver

* (Disclaimer: The content in this video is intended for educational and informational purposes only) San Diego, California — On January 22, 2026, at 12:40 p.m., San Diego Police Officers responded to the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Imperial Avenue for a report of a stolen vehicle. Officers were not immediately able to locate the stolen vehicle, a white 2005 Lexus. At 1:30 p.m., an automated license plate reader flagged the stolen vehicle beat the same intersection where it was first reported. Officer #1 located the stolen vehicle, driven by 39-year-old Edwaun Thames, she traveling east on imperial avenue from the intersection. After briefly stopping, Thames drove away at a high rate of speed leading to a pursuit. The two front tires on the stolen vehicle deflated after spike strips were deployed. Thames continued eastbound on Lisbon street to Jamacha Road. Thames ran multiple stop signs and red lights on jamacha road before crashing into a light pole and coming to a stop. Thames exited the stolen vehicle, and officer #1 reported over the radio that Thames "Dropped a Gun." Thames raised his hands and got on his knees a short distance away from what appeared to be a firearm. Officers gave Thames repeated commands to get on the ground and not to reach for the gun. Officer #1 switched from his service weapon to a taser. Despite multiple commands, Thames reached to his right toward what appeared to be a firearm. Officer #1 deployed his taser and officer Henry Ingram discharged his service weapon, striking Thames. Officer Ingram gave Thames multiple commands not to reach for the gun. Officer Ingram discussed having enough officers to move toward Thames to detain him. Before that happened, Thames lunged toward the object on the ground. Officer Ingram discharged his service weapon. Officers approached Thames to detain him and provide medical aid. Officers rendered medical aid until the arrival of San Diego fire-rescue personnel. Thames was transported to a hospital in stable condition. The firearm found at the scene was later determined to be a gold lighter manufactured to appear as a revolver. Thames has been criminally charged by the district attorney's office with the following: Felony Evading in a Motor Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Vehicle Theft. An officer was injured as a result of a lightpole that was struck by Thames landing on their patrol vehicle damaging their windshield. The officer was treated at the scene for minor glass debris-related injuries but was not transported to the hospital. 🚨𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠. ⚠️𝑉𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡.⚠️ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Special thanks to Shout-Out Supporters on Patreon: - 'DIY Solar Power with Will P