Full Notification

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release                                                                          Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Issued By:
Community Engagement Liaison, Kelsey McCarthy
Petaluma PD, [email protected]

Yesterday, March 12, 2024 the Petaluma Police Department provided assistance to Santa Rosa Police Department Officers and Detectives as they served a warrant to a felony assault suspect staying at a Petaluma motel. In addition to supplying real-time information about the location and neighborhood, Petaluma PD also provided members of our team, our armored rescue vehicle, and our mobile command center bus to secure additional protection at the location, and to ensure the safety of our community while this incident took place.

Below is the press release from Santa Rosa Police Department:

On 3/9/2024 at 11:59 pm, Officers responded to a residence at the 2700 block of Harvest Lane regarding a domestic violence incident. Based on the investigation conducted by an SRPD patrol officer, an adult male was suspected of committing a felony assault against their significant other. Officers were unable to take the suspect into custody that night for domestic violence and other felony charges. A countywide “be on the lookout” was sent to all Sonoma County law enforcement agencies, informing them there was probable cause to detain the suspect for several felonies.

On 3/11/2024 at 12:55 pm, SRPD officers located the suspect driving his blue Ford F250 in Santa Rosa. When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the suspect refused to comply and stop his vehicle so a vehicle pursuit was initiated. Based on the totality of circumstances and for the safety of the public, the vehicle pursuit was immediately terminated.

Shortly after the vehicle pursuit was terminated, the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Communications Center received phone calls about a possible fire at the suspect’s residence on Harvest Lane. SRPD officers and the Santa Rosa Fire Department responded to the residence. The fire was quickly extinguished and the structure was not lost. At approximately 8:00 pm, detectives from the SRPD Property Crime Team conducted a search warrant at the same residence. Detectives located more than a dozen firearms, including privately manufactured rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, and a handgun.

On the morning of 3/12/2024, the suspect’s vehicle was located in the parking lot of 200 S McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, in a motel parking lot. The suspect was believed to be staying in a specific room at this motel. Detectives authored a search warrant for the motel room and an arrest warrant for the suspect. The warrant was for felony domestic violence, felony vehicle pursuit, felony arson, and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

At approximately noon today, detectives, with the assistance of the Santa Rosa Police Department SWAT operators and crisis negotiators attempted to serve both warrants. Because the suspect has a known history of violence and access to firearms, SRPD SWAT operators used an armored rescue vehicle. The suspect made numerous threats of violence towards officers and shot his firearm several times, while inside his motel room. Since the investigation is ongoing, it is unclear what the suspect was shooting at or how many times he shot. Later in the afternoon, officers heard another shot from the suspect’s motel room. SWAT officers then made entry into the room, saw that the suspect had a significant injury, and passed the suspect to medical staff that was already staged at the motel.

The suspect was transported to a regional hospital and is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. The suspect is an adult male in his mid-50s. No additional information about the suspect will be provided until there is an update about his medical condition and his next of kin is notified.

The Petaluma Police Department assisted with this investigation by providing real-time information about the location and neighborhood. PPD officers also used their armored rescue vehicle to help prevent the suspect from shooting out into the roadways and/or nearby motel rooms. This partnership helped keep the community and on-scene officers safe.

No officers or citizens were injured during the incident. Based on the Sonoma County Critical Incident Protocol, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office will be investigating this incident and all additional media releases will come from the SCSO.