Full Notification

ROHNERT PARK – On January 14, 2018 at approximately 10:40 PM, Rohnert Park officers heard several shots being fired from a gun in front of the main Public Safety Station.  As officers went outside to investigate the shots, they located a male suspect in the plaza park holding a firearm asking to be shot by the police.
 
Officers immediately called for a crisis negotiator to respond to the scene.  While the negotiator was responding, officers kept communicating with the male suspect.  The suspect repeatedly told the officers to “kill me”.  Officers continued to talk to the suspect for approximately one hour when the suspect started advancing on the officers.  Officers tried to move away from the suspect in order to continue their conversation.
 
The suspect began walking towards an officer while disregarding all commands to drop his weapon.  The officer ultimately fired his weapon at the suspect due to fearing for his life.
 
As soon as the officers fired, he immediately ran over to the suspect and rendered first aid.  An ambulance that was staged on scene transported the suspect to the hospital.
 
The name of both the officers and the suspect will not be released at this time.  This case is going to be investigated by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office pursuant to the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Chiefs Association Critical Incident Protocol.  All media inquiries are to be directed to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.