A car burglar was shot by police in Wadsworth Friday morning after stealing a car and crashing into a tree, before pointing a gun at responding officers.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 4:45 a.m. Friday in the 13200 block of West Greenview Drive in Wadsworth for a report of a car burglary in progress.
Lake County Sheriff Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that a homeowner called police after she saw a man breaking into her car in her driveway.
Responding sheriff’s deputies and a canine team arrived and located the suspect. The man ran from police and entered a nearby idling car that was being warmed, Covelli said.
The suspect fled in the vehicle but crashed into a tree a short time later. The suspect then pointed a gun at police officers and one of the officers shot the man.
The suspect was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The suspect’s gun was recovered at the scene.
Covelli said that the shooting was an isolated incident and there is no active threat to the community.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting. More details are expected to be released soon, Covelli added.