By Erika Heidecker and Khalida Sarwari
A Hayward woman who was fatally shot by San Leandro police officers on Wednesday night was identified as Gwendolyn Killings, authorities said today.
Killings, 39, was shot after allegedly leading police on a car chase, San Leandro police Lt. Jeff Tudor said.
The passenger in the car, Oakland resident Richard Lee III, 43, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of stolen property, Tudor said.
At about 10:20 p.m., two officers on patrol in the 600 block of MacArthur Boulevard spotted a Jaguar that had been reported stolen earlier in the afternoon, Tudor said.
Killings, who was allegedly driving the car, accelerated away from the officers.
The officers chased the vehicle into Oakland, where it spun 180 degrees and then crashed into a parked car in the 10900 block of Bancroft Avenue, Tudor said.
The passenger, Lee, allegedly ran as soon as the car came to a stop, Tudor said.
One of the officers chased after Lee while the other officer positioned himself off to the side of the Jaguar, Tudor said.
Killings allegedly began revving the car’s engine in an attempt to hit the officer and ignored the officer’s command to stop, he said.
The other officer opened fire to protect the officer’s life, striking the driver, according to Tudor.
The officers on the scene gave medical aid to Killings, but she later died at the hospital, Tudor said.
Killings had an extensive criminal history, Tudor said, including theft, parole violations, burglary and car theft.
The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy, Tudor said.
Oakland police and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the shooting.
San Leandro police are conducting an administrative investigation, Tudor said.