Suspect killed in standoff after police say he shot 2 California cops

FREMONT, Calif. -- Firefighters have confirmed the suspect in the shooting of two police officers in Fremont has died after a tense all night standoff that resulted in a house being heavily damaged by fire. The suspect has been identified as 44-year-old Gerald Villabrille Jr. of San Jose.

The residents of the home that burned overnight stared in disbelief. They said their dog died in the fire. Police say the man who holed up in their home chose it randomly. The couple was not there at the time, but worked with police throughout the night

Fremont police say they believe the man who hid in the home shot two officers yesterday afternoon. Both officers are in the hospital, one in critical condition. When they couldn't coax him out of the home, officers fired tear gas canisters inside. Police say they found the suspect dead inside a closet just before 8:30 a.m. They don't know yet how he died.

Neighbors of this home on Roberts Avenue say it was a tense night, some were told to shelter in place while others near the target home were evacuated.

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Police have been giving support to the two officers in the hospital.

"One was shot once. And he remains in critical condition. He has a little more than year," said Geneva Bosques, Fremont police spokesperson. The second officer was struck once and he is in stable condition.

Fremont police say the officer in critical condition can survive his injuries, But the next 24-to-48 hours will be important as medical staff watches over him. A constant police presence has been at Regional Medical Center, since the two officers arrived yesterday -- including some from San Leandro, Sunnyvale and Hayward. They're keeping vigil and offering support. Fremont police has about 190 officers on staff according to their website.

Fremont's mayor visited the hospital yesterday and asked everyone to keep the two officers in their thoughts and prayers.

Fremont police have not released the names of the officers.

The incident began yesterday afternoon when a Fremont police officer tried making a traffic stop on this white truck behind an AutoZone store. But the suspect backed into the officers vehicle and shot the officer.

Police say the suspect took off running into a Safeway store. Then police say he went over a fence and onto Roberts Avenue where shots were fired again and a second officer was wounded.

Police said two other people were in the suspect's car, a man and a woman, and they have been arrested, according to Fremont Police Chief Richard Lucero.

More than 100 officers from throughout the Bay Area came to aid in the suspect search.

Fremont police haven't released the officers' names, but they say the one in critical condition has been with the department for a year. The detective who's stable has been with the department for a decade.