Person shot after hitting El Cajon police sergeant with truck identified

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect new information from San Diego police Wednesday correcting the gender of the suspect.

EL CAJON, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The person who was fatally shot by law enforcement after allegedly hitting a police sergeant outside the El Cajon Police Department last week has been identified.

In a release Wednesday, police first identified the suspect as 24-year-old Andrea Elizabeth Grube. They had originally been described as a woman, but upon further investigation, police determined the suspect identified as nonbinary and went by the name Benjamin Grube.

On Dec. 11, an El Cajon police lieutenant and sergeant were preparing for a retirement ceremony in the station's parking lot. They were not attempting to respond to a radio call or take any enforcement action, SDPD stated.

Around 12:42 p.m., a suspect who had been parked in the lot -- now identified as Grube -- drove a 2000 Toyota Tundra onto the sidewalk and tried to run both of the officers over, according to the release.

The sergeant was struck and thrown into the air before the driver crashed into a tree.

Meanwhile, the lieutenant called for backup. As the sergeant attempted to get up, Grube reversed the truck and drove forward toward the direction of the officers a second time, SDPD stated.

The sergeant and one other officer fired their duty weapons multiple times, striking the suspect in the truck. Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived to take her to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead due to multiple gunshot wounds.

The sergeant who fired his weapon was also taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released. He has been identified as Kevin Maxwell, who has been with the department for about 28 years and was serving in ECPD's Patrol Division.

The officer who fired his service weapon was Evan Drescher, who served the department for about six years and was assigned to the Traffic Division.

According to SDPD, the entire incident was captured on surveillance video and Drescher also had his body worn camera activated.

The motive behind Grube's alleged actions is still under investigation.

As with other officer-involved-shootings, once SDPD wraps up their investigation, the district attorney’s office will review the case to determine whether the officers’ bear any criminal liability for their actions. El Cajon police will also conduct an administrative review of the incident.

Both the investigations will be overseen by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

SDPD also asks anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or have additional information to contact the department at 619-531-2000.