Man in critical condition after a Stockton police officer shot him. Here's what we know

A 28-year-old man was in critical condition Monday morning after a Stockton police officer shot him Friday night, police said.

Patrol Officer Ruben Meza shot Javion Holmes in a neighborhood north of the Robinhood Plaza shopping center while police were searching for a robbery suspect, a Stockton Police Department news release stated Saturday.

At about 9 p.m. Friday, police rushed to a business in the 5700 block of Pacific Avenue where a man had reportedly shown employees a gun, stolen money, and fled, according to the release and a watch commander's report.

Witnesses described the suspect as a man wearing a dark jacket and black ski mask, police stated. Officers started canvassing the area, police said.

At 9:10 p.m., someone called police, saying a person was near 400 West Swain Road—roughly two blocks north of Robinhood Plaza—trying to hide under cars "and possibly get into residences," police stated.

Officers set up a perimeter and searched the block, police said.

Then, using a helicopter and drone, officers spotted the person they suspected of the robbery in a backyard near 400 West Longview Avenue, police stated.

Officers ordered the person to come out numerous times, but he did not, police stated. A team then entered the backyard and found him hiding behind debris in a narrow walkway, police stated. It's unclear how many officers were there.

That's when the incident appears to have escalated, the news release suggests.

While covering his hands with a piece of cloth, the person said he had a gun, police claim. Officers ordered him more than once to drop it, police stated.

Then, "the suspect extended his hands out in front of him toward the officers as to simulate pointing a gun and ran at the officers," police stated. "This forced one officer to utilize a less-than-lethal shotgun in attempts to subdue the suspect. Then another officer utilized a firearm."

It was around 10:10 p.m. when the shooting occurred, according to department spokesman Officer Omer Edhah.

The suspect was struck at least once, police stated. The officers "immediately provided medical aid" until paramedics took the person to the hospital, police said.

The news release Saturday identified him as Holmes. He appears to live somewhere outside of Stockton, Edhah said, though he didn't specify where.

During the search, officers found a replica handgun and money they believed belonged to the business that was robbed, police stated.

The department can't provide more information about where officers found the fake gun and money, nor about why officers used live rounds following the less-than-lethal ones, Edhah said.

The officers involved were put on paid leave pending a routine investigation, police stated. Only Meza, who fired the firearm, was identified.

In January 2023, Meza was one of five officers who pulled the trigger in the fatal shooting of Rico Ruiz-Altamirano, 33, of Stockton in the city's northwest.

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers government accountability. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.