Contra Costa Inquest Determines Man Shot By Deputies Died By Suicide

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – A Byron man shot and killed by Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies in March died by suicide, a jury ruled in a coroner's inquest Wednesday.

In what appears to be a case of "suicide by cop," Michael Lee Mallett was shot after a long standoff that included several hours of negotiations with the sheriff's SWAT team.

On March 18, the 49-year-old Mallett holed up inside a home in the 2700 block of Hoffman Lane in the unincorporated community of Byron after deputies served him with a $1.15 million arrest warrant connected to 12 counts of child molestation.

The charges stemmed from accusations that Mallett molested a then-11-year-old foster child, according to the sheriff's office.

At the end of the standoff, "Mallett pointed his firearm toward deputies who shot him," sheriff's officials said in a statement.

Sheriff's Capt. Dan Hoffman said that before Mallett was shot, he made comments indicating he had no intention of surrendering. Mallett died at the scene despite deputies' efforts to resuscitate him.

Contra Costa County holds coroner's inquests for fatal incidents involving law enforcement officers or in-custody deaths. A jury rules only on the manner of a person's death, which may be an accident, suicide, natural causes or other non-accidental causes.

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--Bay City News/Image via CCCSO