Rookie San Jose Officer Shot Dead

A rookie San Jose police officer in his second week in a patrol car was shot and killed Sunday in the Almaden Valley area as he approached a vehicle on foot, police said.

Officer Jeffrey Fontana, 24, was found about 4:30 a.m. lying outside his patrol car in the middle of a cul-de-sac in the 1100 block of Calle Almaden, said Officer Joseph Deras.

San Jose Police Chief William Lansdowne said it appeared that Fontana was shot while approaching a vehicle on foot. “It’s a very upscale neighborhood in the city of San Jose,” he said.

Police said Fontana appeared to be caught off guard.

After the shooting, officers conducted a massive search with helicopters and police dogs to find the killer. Police said they impounded a vehicle and spoke with its owner, but no arrests were made.

The early morning gunfire startled residents, who called 911. “I was awake already when I heard what sounded like a gunshot,” Kimberly Brady said. “When the firetruck came around the corner, I thought it was a neighbor in trouble. But when I went out there, I saw the police officer lying on the ground and they were working on him.”

San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales said the officer’s death is a reminder of the sacrifice made by some public servants.

“I ask the people of San Jose to take a moment . . . to think not just about this officer but about all of the police officers and firefighters that protect the citizens of San Jose,” he said.

A makeshift memorial was erected near where Fontana was fatally shot. Two officers tied a bouquet of flowers to a nearby pole. Not long after, an American flag, candles and more flowers were added.

The slaying is the first death of a San Jose police officer in the line of duty since October 1999, when an officer died while piloting a helicopter.