A man involved in a break-in at an Ontario business complex was hospitalized in critical condition Monday morning after an officer-involved shooting outside the building.
The shooting occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on South Grove Avenue and East Acacia Street, after two people rammed a police car in a truck, said officers with the Ontario Police Department. No officers were injured.
Officers responded to a burglary call at a perfume shop. They ordered a man out of the building, where there were signs of what police described as "forced entry" -- a large hole was cut into the steel roll-up door to the back of the business.
The man, identified as 38-year-old Juan Carlos Perez, had allegedly taken property from the business and put it into a stolen box truck, police said.
Perez allegedly got into the truck and rammed into the patrol vehicle, according to Ontario police.
The officers then shot at Perez, hitting him with at least two bullets, Ontario police said.
Perez was hospitalized in critical condition, while his alleged passenger, 25-year-old Yessica Cerpas, was treated for injuries from glass shards and taken into police custody, police said.
The truck was found to be stolen and had stolen property inside, including a motorcycle, police said. Police did not find a weapon at the scene and the suspects didn't fire back at officers.
Leticia Renoso called the incident "Scary — really scary!"
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She owns a paint shop in the same business complex that was roped off during the investigation, and her son said burglars have stolen a mail box and batteries.
But they never expected a shooting, Christopher Reynoso said.
"We thought we were doing everything right. But we have no idea how to prevent this," he said.
