Officers converged on Hemlock Avenue after a standoff; authorities say there is no active threat to the public.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — A man was shot and critically injured Tuesday afternoon during a police shooting on the 100 block of Hemlock Avenue in Redwood City, where officers had responded to a standoff that drew a large law enforcement presence and closed nearby streets, authorities said.
Police cordoned off parts of the Redwood Oaks neighborhood near Fleishman Park as detectives began a use-of-force investigation. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said one person was shot and taken to a hospital, and the Redwood City Police Department described the scene as an “active investigation.” Officials said there was no active threat to the wider public as officers secured the block and redirected traffic around Hemlock, Linden and Madrone streets.
Police and emergency medical crews were called shortly before 3:30 p.m., according to initial dispatches. Neighbors reported a prolonged standoff before a burst of gunfire shortly after 3:20 p.m. Officers then entered a residence on the block and medics moved in to treat the wounded person. “I had just gotten home and a few minutes later I heard about six shots,” said neighbor Daisy Morales, who lives on Hemlock Avenue. The incident drew additional units from nearby agencies, and television helicopters captured rows of patrol cars lining the narrow residential street.
As of early evening, officials had not released the man’s name, age or condition beyond “critical,” and they did not say how many officers fired or what prompted the standoff. Police said streets around the 100 block of Hemlock Avenue would remain blocked while investigators photographed the scene, canvassed for doorbell video and interviewed witnesses. The department said there was “no active threat” to residents beyond the immediate closure area and asked people to avoid the block while evidence technicians worked. Fleishman Park, a small city park a short walk away, was not part of the perimeter.
Redwood City, the San Mateo County seat, has faced high-profile police shootings in recent years, including a 2022 case that prosecutors later reviewed and determined did not warrant charges for the officers involved. In that case, the district attorney’s office released a detailed report explaining its legal analysis of an officer’s use of force. While Tuesday’s shooting is a separate incident, the county typically conducts a multi-agency review that includes homicide detectives, the district attorney’s office and, in some instances, an internal administrative inquiry by the police department to determine whether policies were followed.
Investigators on Tuesday concentrated on reconstructing the timeline — the initial call for service, the standoff, commands given, and the moment shots were fired. Standard protocol includes recovering officers’ body-worn cameras, collecting shell casings and any weapons found at the scene, and obtaining statements from all involved officers. The district attorney’s office said it is reviewing the shooting and will release findings once the inquiry is complete. Police plan to identify the officers who used force after required notifications, generally within state-mandated time frames. No arrests related to the incident had been announced as of Tuesday night, and no officers were reported injured.
Witnesses described a rapid buildup of police units along Hemlock, with patrol cars angled across intersections and yellow tape stretching between street trees and fences. Some residents watched from porches as officers moved door to door, while others turned back from the closures to pick up children from nearby after-school programs. “It was quiet and then all of a sudden there were sirens everywhere,” said Anthony Serrano, who was walking his dog when the convoy arrived. Aerial footage showed investigators focusing on a single home on the south side of the block while traffic crawled along adjacent cross streets.
By nightfall, the scene remained active with crime-scene technicians working under portable lights and supervisors conferring near a command vehicle. Officials said updates on the man’s condition and the scope of the investigation would be provided after preliminary interviews and evidence collection are complete. Police expected street closures to continue into the evening of Nov. 11, with a further update anticipated Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2025.