Full Notification

Incident:  Domestic Violence Incident Resulting in a Standoff
Report Number:          23-4442
Occurred Date :          October 7, 2023
Occurred Time:           6:10 PM
Location:                     700 Block of Lakeville Circle, Petaluma
 
Incident Summary:
 
On October 7, 2023, at 6:10 pm, the Petaluma Police Department received multiple reports of a domestic disturbance in the area of the 700 block of Lakeville Circle. The reporting parties could hear a female screaming and items being thrown.  Officers were familiar with the occupants as the Petaluma Police Department had responded to the location twice in the last two weeks.  Those calls for service resulted in the male resident, Kenneth Massucco (33, Petaluma) being arrested for felony domestic violence related charges, failing to let the female victim leave the residence, threatening to shoot officers, and resisting arrest. As a result of the last the Petaluma Police Department had sought an emergency protection order which was granted by a judge, prohibiting Massucco from being at the apartment or having contact with the victim.    
 
Upon officers’ arrival, they could hear what sounded like the door being nailed shut from the inside of the apartment.  Massucco came to the front window, told the officers he was alone in the apartment, and refused to exit.  Officers could also hear the victim inside while Massucco moved away from the window and moved items around the apartment in what appeared to be an attempt to further barricade the doors. After numerous attempts were made to have both occupants exit the apartment, knowing the doors to the apartment were barricaded, considering the recent history of violence and threats from Massucco; the Petaluma Police Department’s Crisis Response Team (CRT) was summoned. Additionally, the Petaluma Police Department’s Investigations Team obtained a warrant for the arrest of Massucco for false imprisonment and violation of a domestic violence restraining order.
 
It was determined both Massucco and the victim were in an upstairs bedroom. Several attempts to negotiate with Massucco were unsuccessful and communication with the victim was limited and officers feared her responses were directed coached by Massucco. Due to the incident not progressing and fearing the victim was being held captive, officers forced entry through the rear sliding glass door. Officers discovered Massucco had littered the stairs with items including wood and a chair, to prevent them from accessing the bedrooms upstairs. As officers attempted to clear the stairs of debris a noise – flash diversionary device was utilized outside of the apartment to serve as a distraction. Officers then attempted to negotiate face-to-face with Massucco requesting he allow the victim to leave.  Massucco and the victim appeared in the doorway of the upstairs bedroom.  Massucco refused to surrender, was physically preventing the victim from leaving, had assaulted the victim, and threw items at officers.    
 
Massucco exited the bedroom and officers shot him with a 40mm less lethal sponge baton round with a plan of deploying the department’s K9 to apprehend him. The K9 failed to reach Massucco who retreated into the bedroom with the victim. Officers on the outside of the apartment climbed a ladder and broke out the upstairs window to gain a visual into the bedroom. At which point Massucco ran into another bedroom on the opposite side of the small landing. The victim was able to leave the bedroom and was brought down the stairs by officers. The victim was discovered to have sustained significant non-life-threatening injuries and was brought to the awaiting Petaluma Fire Department paramedics. 
 
Massucco continued to refuse to surrender and at one point he broke out the upstairs front window and began yelling at officers. After further attempts to negotiate Massucco’s surrender stalled, officers introduced a chemical irritant into the apartment. Within minutes Massucco surrendered without further incident ending the standoff at 12:30 am, six hours and twenty minutes after it began. 
 
Massucco was placed under arrest for 273.5 PC; Felony Domestic Battery, 236 PC; False Imprisonment, 273.6 PC; Violation of a Court Order, 12022.1 PC; Committing a Felony while out on Bail, and 148(a)(1) PC; Resisting Arrest.  He was taken to a local hospital where he was medically cleared for minor injuries which he sustained as a result of being hit with the sponge round.  He was then transported and booked into the Sonoma County Jail.  Massucco’s bail was set at $250,000.   
 
The Petaluma Police Department Crisis Response Team (CRT) is comprised of both crisis negotiators and SWAT operators.  The team has specialized training and equipment to handle critical incidents where either intense negotiations or special tactical methods are needed that are beyond the capability of patrol officers.    
 
Media inquiries can be directed to Lieutenant Garrett Glaviano at (707)778-4439.