Off-Duty Sheriff's Deputy Fatally Shoots Gunman During Attempted Robbery

An off-duty Alameda County Sheriff's deputy fatally shot a gunman inside an Alameda grocery store during an attempted robbery Thursday night, according to sheriff's deputies.

The incident occurred at Bonfare Market, 1505 High St., shortly before 11 p.m., Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

A second robber may also have been hit by the deputy's bullets but was able to flee, Alameda police said. Police questioned a man who arrived at a local hospital with an unexplained gunshot wound, but as of Friday afternoon, police had made no arrests in the case. 

According to an Alameda Police Department bulletin, police received multiple 911 calls at 10:32 Thursday saying that an armed robbery was in progress at the market and that shots had been fired within the store.

Police arrived at the scene within two minutes, the APD said.

Witnesses said two masked men armed with guns entered the store and a confrontation ensued.

"The deputy feared for his safety, as well as the safety of the employees who were working in the store at the time," police said.

The off-duty deputy had been shopping in the market when the robbery occurred.

Store employees and the deputy were not injured during the incident, police said.

"Honestly," said a neighbor who lives around the corner on Santa Clara and declined to be named, "I think it's awesome that they shot him."

The neighbor said he didn't hear the gun shots, but went out to investigate because of unusual traffic down Santa Clara. Walking over to investigate, he saw a body on the sidewalk in front of Bonfare Market, before police moved onlookers back.

"They were looking for another suspect for about two hours after," he said. 

A neighbor on nearby Liberty Avenue, who was getting in to her car to work Friday morning, said she heard what she thoughts was gunshots last night but didn't go out to investigate. 

"I'm so glad the store owners are OK," she said, visibly shaken by news of the nearby crime.

"Detectives are in the process of interviewing witnesses, and crime scene specialists are collecting evidence and processing the scene," police said.

They said a portion of High Street will be closed until at least noon today while the investigation continues. An onlooker this morning said High Street is closed between Santa Clara and Liberty. 

Alameda police searched the area for the second robber and are still checking area hospitals, police said.

The market was also robbed eight days earlier, on July 10, in a similar incident, police said. Investigators are looking at possible connections between the two robberies.

Click here to see a video from the store. 

Bay City News Service contributed to this article.