Garden Grove officer hit by car while chasing armed man

A police officer was critically injured overnight after being hit by a car in Garden Grove while chasing after an armed man, law enforcement said.

The incident was reported just after midnight when officers with the Garden Grove Police Department were called to the area of Stanford Avenue and Brookhurst Street for an assault with a deadly weapon at a 7-Eleven convenience store. At the scene, officers encountered a man armed with a knife who was involved in the assault.

Police said the man ignored officers’ commands and tried to run away, prompting officials to run after him. During the chase, a vehicle traveling on Brookhurst Street hit an officer.

“When they crossed the street of Brookhurst and Stanford, one of the officers was struck by a vehicle that was going northbound on Brookhurst,” said Garden Grove Police Lieutenant Rich Burillo.

That officer, whose name was not released, was hospitalized in critical condition.

Garden Grove police said the vehicle that struck the officer was not affiliated with the armed man. The department added that the individual stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities. He was not arrested and will not be cited.

The armed man then ran into a residential neighborhood and was taken into custody after an extensive hours-long search involving multiple agencies. Police describe him as a 34-year-old transient.

“Oh God, every day there’s at least two or three incidents regarding homelessness. With stealing, being on drugs, acting crazy, just all that type of stuff,” said Alondra Garcia, who works at the 7-Eleven.

Garcia wasn’t there when her co-worker was attacked, but says similar incidents are common and have grown in concern among employees at the convenience store.

“I get off at like usually I get off at 11 p.m. But yeah, it’s a little scary sometimes working at night here,” said Garcia.