Two men trying to steal a motorcycle soon found out the bike belonged to a San Diego police officer.

The off-duty officer heard noises outside his Nestor apartment around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, looked outside and saw his motorcycle being carried into the back of a minivan, according to a police news release.

He grabbed his gun, ran outside and confronted the would-be thieves.

According to San Diego police detectives, the off-duty officer identified himself and ordered one man to the ground. After initially taking a knee, the suspect got up and walked towards the officer grabbing at him several times, detectives said.

“The suspect hit the officer, then turned and placed both hands inside the midsection of his jacket. Believing the suspect was arming himself, the officer fired his weapon and struck the suspect,” detectives wrote in the press release. “The suspect walked away, and the officer called 911 and followed him until responding units took him into custody.”

Eduardo Gonzalez, 28, was sent to the hospital for a non-life-threatening wound.

The minivan along with the motorcycle, a 2008 black Yamaha R1 bearing California license plate RAVEN1Km was last seen heading northbound on Interstate 5 from Palm Avenue.

The officer involved in the shooting is a 3 ½ year veteran of the department, currently assigned to Southeastern Division, police said.

