District attorney says two officers shot suspect who fired on them first

Two police officers shot and injured a suspect who had fired at them Monday night in Gonzales, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

The shooting occurred at about 8 p.m. and injured Ramon Curiel. An officer used his Taser stun gun on Curiel, who fired a 9mm handgun at the officer, according to the district attorney’s office.

The officer then fired his service weapon, striking Curiel, who fled but encountered a second officer who fired his AR-15 rifle at Curiel, also striking him, prosecutors said.

Curiel continued to flee and remained in hiding for three hours, but a SWAT team from the Salinas Police Department eventually found and arrested him. He was taken to Natividad Medical Center to be treated for his injuries and is expected to survive, prosecutors said.

The district attorney’s office did not release more information about the shooting, including the location where it happened and what led up to the exchange of gunfire. Gonzales police were not immediately available to provide more details.