Richmond officer shoots suspect who pulled pistol, police say

A Richmond police officer shot a suspect who allegedly pulled a gun, critically wounding him in the Thursday afternoon confrontation, department officials said.

The shooting happened near 20th Street and Nevin Avenue about 1:30 p.m., said Richmond police Capt. Mark Gagan.

An officer was on patrol when he decided to stop a suspicious man in his 20s, Gagan said. As the officer approached, the suspect, who was on foot, pulled out a semiautomatic pistol with an extended ammunition magazine, prompting the veteran officer to shoot him in the torso, Gagan said.

The suspect was taken to a hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition. The officer, a former member of the gang unit whose name was withheld, was not hurt.

The gun was recovered, as was a sandwich bag of methamphetamine and smaller bags of marijuana, police said.

Richmond police issued body cameras to officers on a trial basis 10 days ago. Officers have the discretion to activate the cameras while in the field. If the camera was activated at the time of Thursday’s shooting, the footage will be “very helpful” in confirming the circumstances leading up to the shooting, Gagan said.

The incident is under investigation by police and the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henryklee