Video shows officer fire shots at suspect who crashed police cruiser in Bristol

BRISTOL, CT (WFSB) – New video shows an officer fire shots at a man who stole a police cruiser before slamming into a Bristol diner on Thursday.

The Office of the Inspector General released the body camera footage Friday afternoon.

The footage shows the suspect, identified as Jimmie Shoemaker-Gonzalez, drive off in a police cruiser. You can watch it below:

Bristol Police Officer Seth Petzing fired multiple shots at the vehicle, the Inspector General’s office said.

Shoemaker-Gonzalez was hit at least once in the leg, according to officials.

Shoemaker-Gonzalez, 39, has a criminal history and faces charges after the crime spree.

Police said Shoemaker-Gonzalez allegedly stole a Durango in Hartford on Thursday before heading to Farmington.

Eyewitness News obtained Shoemaker-Gonzalez’s mugshot from a case back in 2020.

The crash happened Thursday afternoon.

Police said before Shoemaker-Gonzalez stole the cruiser, he was involved in a slew of crimes in Farmington where there was a pursuit and shots were fired.

They said around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, Shoemaker-Gonzalez hit a plow truck with a stolen car near Brookside Lane.

Eyewitnesses told Channel 3 that the suspect spun out and smashed into a brick wall.

Then, police said the 39-year-old tried to steal two cars at knife point. He succeeded on a third attempt. That driver, a 27-year-old man, was taken to a hospital for a stab wound.

Shoemaker-Gonzalez then fled and arrived at Cambridge Park in Bristol. That’s where police said he ditched one stolen car and managed to get behind the wheel of the police cruiser.

Eyewitnesses said they heard several gunshots, and that everyone took cover.

The crime spree ended after Shoemaker-Gonzalez drove 2 miles and slammed into Palma’s Diner.

Customers inside the diner described it as a scene out of a movie.

“I heard the siren,” said Norman Morneault, a customer. “I thought it was the ambulance coming by, but it made like a blow, like a bomb. We went to look to help the officer, but we realized it’s not an officer. And then we went to the other side, and it was a gun on the seat.”

Police said Shoemaker-Gonzalez has a long history of criminal activity. He was found guilty of assault and strangulation charges in recent years

He was held on a $1 million bond.

So far, he faces a charge of first-degree larceny.

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