SAN JOSE — A police officer fatally shot an ax-wielding intruder at a South San Jose power plant Tuesday night, officials said.
The shooting occurred about 5:15 p.m. at the Calpine Corp.-owned Metcalf Energy Center at 1 Blanchard Road.
Officers were checking out a car parked near a gate when they spotted a man walking toward them with an ax, according to police radio traffic that was corroborated by a law enforcement source. The man reportedly refused to drop the ax and was shot by at least one of the officers.
The gunshot wound was fatal, the law enforcement source said.
Calpine spokesman Brett Kerr confirmed that a police officer shot an intruder at the plant, which operates around the clock. All of the plant’s employees were safe, he said.
Kerr said Calpine is cooperating with a police investigation into the officer-involved shooting, the first of the year in San Jose. There were eight last year, half of which were fatal.
The Metcalf Energy Center supplies power to the San Jose area.
In April 2013, one or more snipers opened fire on the nearby Pacific Gas & Electric Co. power substation on Metcalf Road, blasting 17 transformers and half a dozen circuit breakers. The attack caused $15.4 million in damage and spurred security upgrades to the facility.
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