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Suspect killed in shooting identified

Bay City News Service
Monday April 17, 2000

The Alameda County Coroner’s Office has identified a robbery suspect fatally shot by Berkeley police on Wednesday as 23-year-old Christopher Garcia. 

A coroner’s office spokesman said no home address has been reported for the young man who died at Highland Hospital at 9:04 p.m. that night, but said his occupation is listed as “musician.” 

Berkeley police Capt. Bobby Miller said officers shot Garcia after he brandished a gun at them from the window of a taxi. 

Miller said at about 7:30 p.m. April 12 police received a report of an alarm sounding and a robbery in progress at Sona Jewelers at 1640 University Ave. 

Miller said an officer arrived to see a man leaving the store and alerted units in the area, who quickly set up a perimeter and began a search. Soon after the call, officers stationed at Jefferson Avenue and Allston Way stopped a taxi cab van that was heading south through the intersection, Miller said. 

He said as officers approached the van, a passenger stuck a gun out the window and aimed it at them. The officers opened fire and the suspect was hit, he said. 

Miller said a woman who was in the taxi with Garcia was arrested on robbery charges.