Sonoma Co. Man Slits Own Throat, Dies In Front Of Officers During Domestic Dispute

Law enforcement officials this morning are investigating an apparent suicide that occurred in front of police officers as they responded to a Wednesday domestic dispute in Santa Rosa.

Officers responded at 10:12 p.m. to the 2800 block of Apple Valley Lane in response to a 911 call from a 15-year-old female reporting a domestic dispute between her parents, police said. The 15-year-old told police her father was armed with a knife and threatening suicide as he argued with her mother.

She also said her father had cut himself in the torso area earlier in the day while making suicidal statements. The officers responded to the scene and made contact with Roberto Hernandez, 38, and his wife, police said.

According to police Hernandez immediately armed himself with a knife and cut his own throat. One of the officers Tased Hernandez to keep him from injuring himself, but it had minimal or no effect, police said. Hernandez continued to stab himself in the neck, collapsed and died within minutes, police said. There were no other reported injuries in the incident.

The couple’s daughter had retreated to a bedroom with her 10-year-old and 4-year-old brothers before the initial 911 call, police said.

The three officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave, and the police department invoked the Sonoma County Employee-Involved Fatal Incident Protocol.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to assume the investigation.

--Bay City News

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