‘I Knew I Was Alive,’ Officer Tells of Being Shot Point-Blank

On her off days, Ramona cowgirl Diane Hall prefers light pink denim, but at work she wears a police officer’s shield and a bulletproof vest.

On Sunday, that vest saved her life.

“I don’t know how it stopped them,” said Hall, referring to the vest that stopped two 9-millimeter bullets fired at point-blank range.

“I just remember hearing pops,” Hall said during a press conference Tuesday in Ramona, an equestrian center in the background. “It was gunfire, but it wasn’t a real sound to me. Then I remember getting hit in the chest, like with a baseball bat, but it didn’t feel like getting shot.

“It’s almost like it happened to another person, it’s so blurry.”

Hall and two other San Diego police officers responded to a burglary call at 8:54 p.m. Sunday night in the City Heights area. They spotted Jimmie Ray Reeves Jr., 23, hiding in a cardboard box. When he tried to flee, a scuffle ensued.

Police said Reeves pulled a gun from one of the officers’ holsters and began firing wildly, striking Hall in the stomach and right collarbone, and hitting her gun.

Officers wrestled the gun from Reeves and, when he ran, all three officers fired their weapons, killing him.

Reeves didn’t say anything to the officers during the fracas, he was just “grunting and groaning,” Hall said.

“I didn’t even know he had a gun at the time, I just knew he was acting awful wild,” Hall said. “I was grabbing his arm, and that’s the one he shot me with.”

The incident took less than a minute.

“I’m still remembering things. I remember rolling away and screaming for help,” Hall said. “I understand I emptied my gun, but I don’t know how many times I hit the suspect.”

After it was clear the danger had passed, Hall slumped against a wall to take stock of the situation.

“I knew I was alive, but I didn’t know how bad I was hurt. I really didn’t know what my injuries were,” said Hall, 40, who has been with the force for five years.

Hall called to her partner, officer Cheryl Dean, to help out.

“I wanted her to see what my wounds were, because I didn’t want to check myself,” said Hall, who suffered bruises, abrasions and powder burns.

Hall and her husband, Ron, who is also a San Diego police officer, haven’t had time to reflect on her brush with death, and instead have been answering phone calls from well-wishers.

“We’ve been so busy answering the phone, I haven’t had a chance to stop the wheels and think about it,” said Hall, who won’t be going back to work “until I feel like going back.”

Ron Hall was patrolling in Kearny Mesa when he heard the radio call that his wife had been shot.

“I went out there at about Mach 3,” said Ron Hall, 40. “I knew she was injured, but I could tell by her voice that she wasn’t hurt too bad.”

Now, Diane Hall’s stomach muscles are sore, and she can’t sit up without help, but she misses her horses most.

“I can’t wait to get back to riding,” said Hall, who keeps three horses in the back yard of her Ramona home.