SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco Bay Area Sergeant Scott Lunger, 48, was shot and killed during an altercation at a traffic stop on Wednesday, July 22 in Hayward.
Police Chief Mark Koller stated that Sgt. Lunger and his partner stopped a white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at the intersection of Lion and Myrtle Street. The car had been swerving on the road and driving erratically. The driver initially complied with the officers requests and stopped the vehicle. During the traffic stop, there was a confrontation between the driver and the officers. At approximately 3:15 a.m., the driver shot Lunger without warning and fled the scene immediately after.
Lunger’s partner was uninjured, and fired several times at the vehicle as it left the scene. Lunger’s partner then radioed to the Hayward Police Station to report that shots had been fired and an officer was down.
The truck matching the description of vehicle involved in the shooting was later found abandoned on 98th and Edes Avenue in Oakland. The truck was marked with four bullet holes. The suspect was found suffering from gunshot wounds, and taken into custody.
Lunger was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he later died of injuries he sustained. His body was escorted from the medical center to the coroner’s bureau by a police procession of dozens of law enforcement officers.
Lunger served as an officer on the police force for 15 years. He served on the gang and SWAT units, and became a sergeant in 2009. Lunger is from Brentwood, California. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
