Newport Beach Man Charged with Assault on a Police Officer

A Newport Beach man was charged today with assault on a police officer in connection with a shooting at a beach-facing residence in which police returned fire, wounding the defendant.

Scott Jay Abraham, 43, faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer and one count of discharging a firearm with gross negligence, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Abraham remains hospitalized, but is expected to survive, said Jennifer Manzella of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Police responded to reports of multiple gunshots just before 9:45 p.m. Friday in the 4600 block of Seashore Drive, Manzella said. Arriving officers saw a suspect exit a residence onto a beach-facing patio and open fire at least once in the direction of the ocean, although it was not clear if he was aiming at anything in particular, Manzella said.

Two officers opened fire on the suspect, who was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana in critical condition, Manzella said.

The officers were unhurt.

Abraham could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of the three felony counts.

--City News Service