Sonoma County Deputies Involved In Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting

GEYSERVILLE, CA — UPDATED: Sonoma County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a man Friday morning in Geyserville when they ordered him to drop his weapon and he refused, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies initially responded at 8:22 a.m. Friday to a report that a man threw a rock through the window of a house in the 5200 block of Tre Monte Lane in Geyserville, sheriff's Sgt. Juan Valencia said.

"Initial information indicates multiple residents contacted the man, and he asked one of them to shoot him," Valencia said.

The man then stole the resident's truck and drove through and broke several cattle guards as he fled the area, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Deputies found the stolen truck in the 5600 block of Tre Monte Lane.

The man was no longer inside the truck but deputies tracked him into a wooded area east of the 5600 block of Thomas Road. Deputies learned the man stole at least one ATV-type vehicle.

After more than an hour of searching, deputies found the man and he appeared to be holding a weapon, the sheriff's office said.

"Deputies ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he refused," Valencia said. "The man initially appeared to charge at one of the deputies but stopped. After a standoff with multiple commands to drop the weapon, one deputy deployed his Taser, but it appeared ineffective; the second deputy shot the man."

Deputies immediately began administering medical aid, and a paramedic was flown to the scene.

The shooting happened at 10:03 a.m. The man was pronounced dead at 10:29 a.m.

Neither deputy was physically injured during the last encounter with the man.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office invoked the Sonoma County Critical Incident Protocol and requested the Santa Rosa Police Department and the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office to lead an independent investigation into the events that led to the man's death.

The Santa Rosa Police Department is expected to release additional information Saturday regarding the investigation.

The man's identity and the identities of the involved deputies will be released next week.

"The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office will release the names of the deputies involved and their tenure at the department within the guidelines of the Sonoma County Critical Incident Protocol," Valencia said.

The Marin County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy next week.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said it will conduct an independent administrative review to determine whether deputies followed policies and procedures.

"We take every use of force very seriously, and our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident," Valencia said.