ENCINITAS, Calif. -- A burglary suspect suffered a non-lethal bullet wound Monday when he pulled a gun on a deputy following a traffic stop on the vehicle he carjacked from a man and his young son near Beacons Beach, prompting the lawman to open fire on him, sheriff's officials said.
The shooting in the area of Leucadia Boulevard and North Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas occurred about 3 p.m.
"I was northbound on 101 in Leucadia when I noticed a sheriff's car pulling over a small, grey coupe," said Greg Lefevre, who witnessed the incident. "A man leapt out of the passenger side of the car with a bag in his hands. A deputy fired several shots and hit the man in the foot."
Medics took 35-year-old Joseph Ramos, a suspect in a residential burglary, to a hospital for treatment of a wound that was not considered life- threatening.
The carjacking victims, who had been riding in the vehicle with the suspect, were uninjured, as were all involved law enforcement personnel, authorities said.
The pursuit of Ramos began shortly after 2:30 p.m. when deputies spotted Ramos on Orchard Wood Road, said Lt. Kenneth Nelson of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
They recognized Ramos as a documented gang member, who was also wanted in connection with a string of residential burglaries where several guns had been stolen, Nelson said.
Deputies attempted to contact Ramos but before they could do so, he got into a black truck and sped off, Nelson said.
Deputies followed and a short pursuit ensued but they quickly backed off when the saw that speeds and road conditions were too dangerous to continue, so they decided to follow Ramos at a distance, according to Nelson.
Ramos drove to the intersection of Rancho Santa Fe Road and Manchester Avenue where he abandoned his black truck and ran into a nearby parking lot, Nelson said.
In the parking lot, Ramos confronted a 27-year-old man who was buckling his 7-year-old son into his car seat.
According to the victim, Ramos pointed to a handgun in his waistband and demanded that the victim drive him away from the area.
The man complied and with his 7-year-old son in the back seat, he drove Ramos from the area in his silver two-door Scion, Nelson said.
During the drive, the victim said Ramos took the gun from his waistband and pointed it at him several times.
Deputies were able to eventually catch up to the Scion a short time later and pulled the car over in the 1500 block of North Coast Highway 101.
"When the Scion came to a stop, according to the victim of the carjacking and kidnapping, Ramos pointed the gun at both he and his son then exited the car with the gun still drawn," Nelson said.
"One of the responding deputies saw the gun pointed at him and fired multiple shots."
Ramos ran a short distance and fell to the ground, where he was taken into custody, Nelson said.
Detectives from the sheriff's Homicide Detail and the North Coastal Sheriff's Station responded to the scene and were investigating.
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Ramos is being held on an outstanding felony warrant, Nelson said. Detectives will determine what additional charges are appropriate for Ramos once he is released from the hospital, Nelson said.
The shooting prompted police to close traffic lanes in the immediate area, and rail service was suspended between Poinsettia Lane and Encinitas Boulevard into the late afternoon.
Roadways in the area were shut down and rail service for the Coaster was suspended immediately following the shooting.
