A large armored vehicle housed at the Gilroy Police Department
and shared by South County law enforcement officials is assisting
officers from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department and San
Jose, Cupertino and Sunnyvale police departments in the search for
a man suspected of fatally shooting three people Wednesday
morning.
A large armored vehicle housed at the Gilroy Police Department and shared by South County law enforcement officials is assisting officers from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department and San Jose, Cupertino and Sunnyvale police departments in the search for a man suspected of fatally shooting three people Wednesday morning.
Sheriff’s Lt. Rick Sung confirmed officials were using the BearCat, usually deployed by regional SWAT teams, to patrol the Sunnyvale-Cupertino border as part of a massive search for Shareef Allman, a Cupertino cement plant worker suspected of killing three co-workers and injuring six others.
“It’s being used in an active search for the suspect,” Sung said.
GPD Sgt. Chad Gallacinao said the BearCat was delivered to law enforcement officials in that area earlier today to assist with the manhunt.
As of 4:30 p.m., Allman remains at large.
The $285,000 vehicle made its first appearance during a Gilroy City Council goal-setting retreat Jan. 28. It was paid for by a Department of Homeland Security grant, according to the GPD.
Gilroy and Morgan Hill SWAT officers have used the BearCat several times since its unveiling, including the Feb. 5 arrest of two Chico murder suspects were holed up in a Gilroy condominium on the 700 block of Monterey Road.
Officers also deployed the BearCat to a reported hostage situation at a home on the 7700 block of Santa Barbara Drive May 10, though that incident ended up a false alarm. A 13-year-old boy from Texas was later arrested for calling in the phony report.
