The convicted stalker and registered sex offender who broke into a Marshall apartment the day after Christmas and was shot by two UCSD police officers pleaded guilty to an assault charge last Tuesday.
Timothy Joseph O’Keefe, 45, pleaded guilty in the San Diego Superior Court to assaulting a police officer with two 8-inch knives. The assault conviction is a third strike under California’s three-strikes law for O’Keefe who has been convicted of two similar felony crimes. O’Keefe faces a minimum of 25 years in prison.
The burglary and shooting incident occurred Dec. 26 at around 10:50 p.m.
Marshall sophomore Eric Lawrence said he called the police after he and his friend saw a man trying to open the windows of a neighbor’s apartment.
“”My friend and I saw the security light go on outside and we looked out,”” Lawrence said. “”We saw a man who was trying every single window. That’s when I called the police.””
When the police arrived, O’Keefe ran out of the apartment and back in before returning outside with two long kitchen knives. The officers said that O’Keefe shouted, “”You’ll have to shoot me,”” and lunged at them with the knives.
The two officers each fired one shot, wounding O’Keefe in the chest and right hand.
Marshall sophomore Alicia Gonzales, who lives in the apartment that O’Keefe broke into, said she is extremely relieved that O’Keefe pleaded guilty.
“”It’s over, thank God. I’m definitely relieved,”” Gonzales said. “”It would have been a hassle to have to testify in court. It’s nice to have it all over.””
Gonzales, who came home right when police arrived to investigate the reported burglary, said the police stopped her before she opened the door to her apartment.
“”The police officer stopped me right as I was turning the key into the lock. It was pretty scary, for if the officer had been a couple seconds later I would have been inside with him,”” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said that she didn’t see the police shoot O’Keefe, but heard the two gunshots as O’Keefe charged the officers with her kitchen knives.
Gonzales said that the experience still affects her.
“”When I’m home alone it’s still kind of scary,”” she said. “”I have to check all the corners and closets.””
O’Keefe was convicted in 1988 on 37 charges of breaking into dormitory rooms, prowling on campus and making obscene phone calls to female students at Point Loma Nazarene University. He was paroled from prison in 1998.
Gonzales said that neither she nor her roommates had received any obscene calls prior to the burglary.
“”We hadn’t received any obscene phone calls before the break-in,”” Gonzales said. “”I think it was a big coincidence that he choose our apartment to break into.””
