Man charged with attempting to murder a police officer
on February 28, 2013
The Contra Costa District Attorney filed charges earlier this week against a 30-year-old man for attempting to shoot and kill several Richmond Police officers who were responding to a 911 call.
The defendant, Elston Young, has been charged with three felonies for pointing his gun toward police officers earlier this month. Before the officers arrived, Young allegedly fired his gun near B Street and Nevin Avenue in Richmond. The shots were picked up by Richmond’s ShotSpotter gunshot detection system.
Young is currently at a county hospital where he is recovering from six gunshot wounds — four to the chest, one in the back and one in the cheek, said Deputy District Attorney Barry Grove.
Grove said that Young has survived his injuries and will be transferred to county jail any day now. Bail has been set at $1.2 million, said Richmond Police Detective Nicole Abetkov.
After Young is placed into custody under the county sheriff, a court date will be scheduled to formally present the charges: negligent discharge of a firearm, attempted murder of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Following protocol for officer-involved shootings, the District Attorney is leading the investigation against Young. The Richmond Police Department is assisting the investigation. Grove said that “there is a great amount of evidence” against Young for attempting to murder one of the responding police officers.
Grove said that police officers fired shots at Young as soon as they arrived at the scene.
“It was almost instantaneous,” Grove said. “As the officers were getting out of the car.”
After the arraignment, Young will have the opportunity to hire a private attorney or be assigned a public defender.
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