By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–A man convicted by a jury in October of attempted murder on a San Diego Harbor Police officer has been sentenced to 45 years to life in prison, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a news release.
Daniel Quiroz, 31, engaged in a shootout with the officer outside the San Diego Convention Center in March 2021, shortly after being pulled over for a traffic violation.
Quiroz was charged with attempting to kill the officer, and assault with a semi-automatic firearm on a civilian on March 1, 2021, near Fifth Avenue and Harbor Drive.
“This defendant had no regard for life when he recklessly engaged in a shootout on a downtown street,” DA Stephan said. “Traffic stops are some of the most dangerous situations for peace officers as this case clearly demonstrates, and the guilty jury verdict along with today’s prison sentence brings justice to the police officer and civilian victim in this case.”
The victim was struck by a stray bullet during the shootout but was unharmed because the bullet was likely a ricochet that also deflected off of his eyeglasses case which he had in his back pocket. In addition to the attempted murder charge, Quiroz was convicted of three counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm.
