East Palo Alto Police Officer Shot During Arrest, suspect Willie Wiley in custody

Thursday, January 12, 2023, around 11:00 PM, an East Palo Alto police officer stopped a dark-colored Dodge Charger for breaking the Vehicle Code near Fordham Street and Purdue Avenue. When the car was stopped, the driver ran away, and East Palo Alto officers chased him on foot to the 2700 block of Fordham.

As police tried to take the suspect into custody, he pulled the trigger on his gun and fired a single round, hitting an officer. The police were able to keep taking the suspect into custody without firing any shots.

During the fight, a five-year veteran of the East Palo Alto PD was shot in the leg. The officer is getting care for an injury to a lower limb that is not life-threatening.

Willie Wiley, a 44-year-old man from East Palo Alto, is in custody, and the gun that was used has been found and is safe.

The gun was found to be a “ghost gun” that had been changed to be fully automatic and have a large magazine.

The investigation is ongoing, and there is no further information available at this time.

“We are grateful that our officer was not more seriously injured, and that the suspect and firearm are in custody,” said East Palo Alto Interim Police Chief Jeff Liu. “This is a stark reminder of the danger police officers face, and the ongoing dangers of gun violence. We must never forget the risk our police officers take every time they leave their families to serve our community.”

This shooting comes just 14 days after Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Isaiah Cordero was shot and killed during a traffic stop in the Jurupa Valley area.