Police-Involved Shooting Leads to Major Traffic Jam on I-80 in Emeryville

A homicide suspect was shot and killed in a standoff with police on Interstate 80 in Emeryville early Wednesday that led to a major traffic jam, media reports say.

Authorities shut down both directions of Interstate 80, one of the Bay Area's most congested freeways, as the pursuit unfolded around 9 a.m.

The incident began in Fairfield, where detectives were trying to arrest the homicide suspect. The man, who has not yet been identified, failed to yield to the arrest and a pursuit ensued, according to Bay City News, which cited a press release from the Fairfield, Richmond and Emeryville police departments.

The suspect headed west on I-80, and California Highway Patrol placed spike strips on the freeway in Berkeley to stop him. After the suspect drove over those, his vehicle hit a concrete barrier but still managed to drive onto the Powell Street exit -- where it stopped, according to the CHP. That's where Richmond police engaged in a standoff with the driver, BCN reported.

Officers negotiated with the suspect until he opened fire at them.
Officers returned fire and the suspect was struck, according to BCN.

The driver was taken to a hospital in San Francisco, an Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman said. He later died there, police said. It's not clear what homicide he was wanted in connection with.

Westbound I-80 from state Highway 4 to the Bay Bridge remains closed.

"It is a complete standstill. People have turned off their engines, they’re walking around," KQED's education reporter, Ana Tintocalis, said early Wednesday. She said the traffic jam began in Richmond. “Right when we hit Berkeley I knew this was not business as usual at all.”

This report was corrected to state the suspect was taken to a hospital in San Francisco.