Santa Rosa Officer Who Shot Teen In Foot During Alleged Suicide Is Identified

SANTA ROSA - Santa Rosa police Wednesday identified Brian Fix as the police officer who shot a teen boy in the foot at a northwest Santa Rosa park late Monday night during what police said was an attempted "suicide by cop."

The 15-year-old boy called police around 11:35 p.m. to report an armed man in dark clothing standing under a streetlight bordering Coffey Lane next to the park, Santa Rosa police Lt. Michael Lazzarini said.

Patrol officers Fix and Jessie Ludikhuize arrived on Coffee Lane from opposite directions at 11:43 p.m., Lazzarini said.

Fix, who arrived first, spotted the suspect holding a handgun on the east side of the park fronting Coffey Lane and tried to communicate with him, Lazzarini said.

The suspect got down on the ground then stood up and pointed the gun at Fix, who was about 20 yards away and giving the suspect commands to drop the gun, Lazzarini said.

Fix fired two rounds in defense of his life and was not aware the suspect was a juvenile or that the gun was a replica firearm, Lazzarini said.

Ludikhuize, who was getting out of his patrol car as Fix fired his gun, also saw the suspect point a gun at Fix, Lazzarini said. Ludikhuize did not fire his weapon, Lazzarini said.

The suspect fell to the ground and both officers then took the suspect into custody. The entire contact between Fix and the suspect before the shooting was under one minute, Lazzarini said.

Also on Patch: 15-Year-Old Boy Shot By Santa Rosa Police After Alleged "Suicide By Cop" Attempt

The boy received a significant, non-lethal wound in the left foot and remains in a hospital for treatment and a psychiatric evaluation, Lazzarini said.

The teen had a suicide note and told investigators he intended to commit suicide by having an officer shoot him, Lazzarini said. Investigators learned he was the person who called police to report a man with a gun.

The teen's father was notified about the shooting and is assisting with the investigation by the Santa Rosa Police Department, Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety and Sonoma County District Attorney's Office, Lazzarini said.

The officers' body-cameras recorded the shooting and the video, which will not be made public, corroborates the officers' account, Lazzarini said.

Fix has been a police officer for 14 months and has no prior law enforcement experience, and Ludikhuize has 10 years of experience as a police officer nearly half of them with Santa Rosa police, Lazzarini said.

-Bay City News