Critical Incident Update: A Message from Chief Phil Galer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2026

Contact: Sara Bellafronte, Assistant to the City Manager

[email protected]

Critical Incident Update: A Message from Chief Phil Galer

On Thursday, September 3, at approximately 3:45 PM Officer Jimmy Sanchez, a four- and half-year veteran of the police department, was violently attacked and shot while fighting for his life inside the Pittsburg Police Department booking facility.

Our preliminary investigation determined that officers arrested 31-year-old Michael Sanchez Gardner Martin for driving a stolen vehicle and outstanding felony warrants. He was searched at the time of his arrest and again after being transported to our booking facility. During both searches, the same officer failed to locate a firearm concealed in the suspect's clothing.

That was a serious failure. We acknowledge it, and it will be thoroughly examined through an administrative investigation. We will determine how it happened and take immediate corrective action to prevent it from happening again.

But that failure cannot be allowed to obscure what happened next.

Based on our preliminary investigation and available evidence, after being placed in a holding cell, the suspect concealed the firearm inside a toilet. A few hours later while awaiting transport to county jail, he retrieved it and hid it beneath a jail blanket draped over his shoulders.

Officer Jimmy Sanchez, who was not the arresting or searching officer, later entered the booking facility. At this time the suspect asked him for water and told him he was not feeling well. Officer Sanchez brought him water and approached the cell to check on his welfare.

The suspect responded to that act of compassion by attacking him.

Without warning, he punched Officer Sanchez in the face, threw the blanket over his head and repeatedly struck him in the head with the firearm. The suspect then succeeded in firing a single round. Preliminary evidence indicates that round first passed through the suspect's own thigh before striking Officer Sanchez in the lower abdomen below his body armor. Based on the evidence currently available, both gunshot wounds resulted from the single round fired by the suspect.

Officer Sanchez had been ambushed, beaten and shot. He still did not stop fighting.

His actions prevented the suspect from firing another round and gave responding officers the time they needed to enter the facility, disarm the suspect and end the attack. Those officers responded without hesitation and demonstrated extraordinary courage, discipline and restraint.

They then provided immediate medical aid to both Officer Sanchez and the suspect.

I want to make one very clear distinction. While the firearm should have never been allowed to make it into our booking facility, it was Martin who knowingly concealed, retrieved and then utilized that firearm to ambush, violently assault and ultimately try to take the life of one of our officers. That distinction matters and I do not want legitimate criticism of a failure of a young officer's search to overshadow that fact.

Officer Sanchez did not survive because Martin stopped his attack or decided to change course. Officer Sanchez survived because he refused to give up. He survived because he fought through a brutal attack, a gunshot wound, and because he and his fellow officers physically ripped a gun away from Martin's hands.

That is the story I do not want to get lost as we move forward through this traumatic incident.

As it relates to medical status. The suspect was treated at a local hospital and subsequently booked the same day into county jail on multiple felony charges including attempted murder of a police officer. Officer Sanchez underwent surgery for his injuries and is recovering with family and the department by his side. A third assisting officer was treated for minor injuries and is recovering.

I want to thank our community, elected officials and City staff for the extraordinary support they have shown Officer Sanchez, his family and our department. I also want to thank the first responders and medical personnel who cared for him, and the Pittsburg police officers who responded that day with courage, decisive action, professionalism and restraint.

In closing, several media stories have reported details of this incident citing "police sources." I want to be clear these sources were not authorized Pittsburg Police informational releases. I have intentionally delayed this official release until our detectives and investigators from the Contra County District Attorney's Office have had an opportunity to collect and review critical evidence and interview all applicable witnesses. This is still an active investigation and I do not plan on releasing any further information at this time. Our focus will remain on supporting our officers, their family and ensuring the integrity of this investigation as it moves forward through the criminal justice system.

Phil Galer
Chief of Police
Pittsburg Police Department