Carlsbad police release bodycam footage of a driver opening fire at the officer as he approached

On Oct. 20 at 10:54 p.m., Carlsbad Police Officer Vincent Abbate pulled over a white Ford Van at Madison Street and Oak Avenue in the City of Carlsbad for multiple traffic violations, police said.

Bodycam footage released Friday shows the officer approach the vehicle and the driver firing one round at him. The officer took cover from behind his police car and returned fire, hitting the back windows of the van.

The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Patrick Doherty, of Oceanside, began to drive off then stopped just down the road. He is then seen in the video putting his hands out of the window, and was taken into custody without further incident.

No one was hit by gunfire, the police department reports. A ghost gun was recovered from the driver’s side floorboard of the van Doherty was driving.

Doherty was charged with attempted murder, assault with a firearm on a peace officer, possession of a firearm in a public place, using a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of an unregistered firearm, police said.