By Mike Hazlip—
A heavy police presence and helicopter activity near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Oak Avenue was observed on Sunday night, as a pair of incidents in the area kept authorities busy.
Citrus Heights Police Lt. Chad Morris told The Sentinel in an email that officers responded to a report of five or more gunshots in the area of Copperwood Drive on Jan. 9, and located several bullet casings in the roadway. Casings were collected for evidence, and officers searched the area extensively but found no suspects or victims, the lieutenant said.
Police said witnesses offered a vague description of two vehicles that were possibly involved, one being a “dark-colored sedan.” As of Tuesday, Morris said followup had been conducted and the case is “pending additional leads.”
Also on Sunday night, police responded to an incident on Ziebell Court and Villa Oak Drive, less than a mile from Copperwood Drive. Morris said, that incident involved an individual in a mental health crisis and threatening suicide.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance with a helicopter circling over the area. The individual was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Police blocked off a section of Gallant Circle in Citrus Heights, following a shooting on Feb. 1, 2021. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip— Sirens and sounds of a helicopter could be heard near Sylvan Corners on Monday evening as police responded to a shooting in the area.
Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Eric Dias told The Sentinel in a phone call Monday night that officers responded to the 7600 block of Gallant Circle and found an adult male in his 50s who had been shot. The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m.
Dias said officers provided first aid to the man until paramedics arrived. The man was then transported to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police said the initial call came in from a resident who said he had shot someone in his driveway. Both individuals involved knew each other, according to Dias.
“An altercation started in front of the house between these two people and ultimately ended with one person being shot by the other,” Dias said.
Dias said the reporting party was not in custody. Police scanner radio traffic during the incident indicated the man who fired shot(s) had a concealed carry permit for a firearm, but Dias could not confirm this or other details about the incident.
He said the investigation was in the early stages and stated more information would be released as it becomes available.
An update on this story will be included in The Sentinel’s Midweek Edition on Thursday. Sign up free to get two emails a week with all local news and zero spam. Click here to sign up.
Suspect Steven Roberts, 2014 booking photo released by Citrus Heights police.
Sentinel staff report–
An officer-involved shooting that followed a brief pursuit near Rusch Park left a 50-year-old suspect in critical condition on Thursday, Citrus Heights police said in a Sept. 14 news release.
Police said the shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. Thursday after a solo officer began pursuing a Ford SUV that was reportedly “driving erratically” and in opposite lanes of traffic, according to a witness’ account cited by police. The pursuit lasted less than one mile and ended “abruptly” on the 7400 block of Summer Avenue, off Rusch Drive.
Police said a witness saw the driver of the SUV, later identified as Steven Roberts of Citrus Heights, come to a sudden stop in the driveway of a home. The witness, who was not named by police, then “saw and heard the involved officer yelling commands at the suspect and then heard the sounds of gunshots.” The officer also radioed that shots had been fired and that Roberts had been hit, according to police.
Additional units arrived on scene and found Roberts with a gunshot wound in his torso area. Officers provided first aid until medics arrived and transported him to a local hospital.
Police said Roberts’ injuries were initially believed to be non-life-threatening, but later learned he was listed in critical condition. The officer involved was not injured.
The incident is currently under investigation and police said information that has been released about the incident “is subject to change.” The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on standard paid administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Citrus Heights Police Department and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, which reviews all cases of officer-involved shootings.
Police said Roberts is being investigated for felony evasion in a motor vehicle and driving under the influence, with additional charges possible as the investigation progresses.
Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact local police at (916) 727-5500.
Gunfire and police sirens lit up the night in a Citrus Heights neighborhood Monday, after police fatally shot a man who allegedly brandished a weapon at officers. The shooting occurred shortly before 10:30 p.m. on the 7000 block of Grenola Way, about a quarter-mile from Auburn Boulevard.
In a news release on Tuesday morning, Citrus Heights police said dispatchers had received information about an armed man who was “acting strange.” Responding officers soon located the man and confirmed he was armed with a handgun, police said.
At least one officer fired his weapon at the man after he allegedly “brandished the weapon at officers.” The man, whose identity has not yet been released by the Sacramento County Coroner, was pronounced deceased at the scene by Metro Fire personnel.
During the incident, a low-flying law enforcement helicopter circled the area telling residents on a loud speaker to stay inside and lock their doors and windows.
Police said the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department “Bomb Squad” was also called in due to some “suspicious canisters” being found near the scene of the shooting. The canisters were later rendered safe.
No officers were injured in the shooting and police said there are no outstanding suspects.
As part of the investigation, police said any officers involved in the shooting will be placed on paid administrative leave. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department at (916) 727-5500.
Another shooting also occurred just two hours after the Grenola Way incident. In a Tweet on CHPD’s official Twitter account, police confirmed the second shooting occurred around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday on the 7500 block of Cook Avenue, near Auburn Boulevard.
Police said the second shooting was “unrelated,” but no other details were listed.
Updated Feb. 9, 4:26 p.m.–
Police are investigating the death of a woman who was found dead in a Citrus Heights apartment with a gunshot wound to her upper body early Monday morning, according to Sgt. Jason Baldwin with the Citrus Heights Police Department.
Baldwin said police responded to the Montage apartment complex on Fair Oaks Boulevard just after midnight Monday, where the woman, later identified as 46-year-old Heidi Evans, was found and pronounced dead at the scene.
Update: Although initially unable to determine whether the death was a suicide or homicide, “after conducting a thorough investigation,” police said in a news release Tuesday afternoon that detectives had determined Evans’ gunshot wound to have been “self-inflicted.”
In an unrelated death about 12 hours later, Baldwin said an 85-year-old woman committed suicide in front of a Walgreens store on Greenback Lane Monday afternoon, after officers found her with three “self-inflicted” gunshot wounds to her chest.
Baldwin said anyone experiencing great depression or suicidal thoughts can contact the Citrus Heights Police Department to be connected with a variety of resources. “We just like people to know that hope is not lost, and they can always reach out to us.”
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According to suicide prevention resources, warning indicators of suicide can include talking about feeling hopeless, having no reason to live, and other behavior or mood signs.
A local Suicide Prevention Hotline, operated by WellSpace Health, can be reached at (916) 368-3111. The group says its hotline is also available for those concerned about friends or loved ones who may be suicidal.
Citrus Heights police respond to a shooting at an apartment complex next to Kmart on Auburn Boulevard, Jan. 29. // CH Sentinel
Local news briefs this week include local homeless outreach efforts, a Friday night shooting, local medical marijuana regulation, and an update on the cause of a Citrus Heights garage fire.
Friday night shooting in Citrus Heights injures one; police investigating Citrus Heights police detectives are investigating a Jan. 29 shooting at an apartment complex next to the Auburn Boulevard Kmart, which sent one man to the hospital. In a news release issued Saturday morning, police said officers responded to a 911 call around 8:15 p.m. on Friday and found a man in his mid-twenties with an “upper body” gunshot wound, on the 7300 block of Auburn Oaks Court. The man was taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery, and is currently in stable condition and expected to survive.
Police said detectives are currently investigating the incident and request anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department at (916) 727-5500, or via an anonymous crime tips hotline at (916) 727-5524. The news release did not indicate any arrests have been made, but police said “there is no specific risk to the members of the community, as this incident appears to be isolated.”
Metro Fire: space heater caused Citrus Heights garage blaze An early morning fire which torched a garage and vehicle last week was caused by a space heater, Metro Fire Captain Michelle Eidam told The Sentinel on Friday. The fire occurred around 2 a.m. on Jan. 21, inside a garage attached to a Twin Brook Court home, near Van Maren Lane. A next-door neighbor said she awoke to flames and “swarms” of firefighters who used saws to cut open the garage in order to gain access.
Metro Fire also determined a space heater to be the cause of a house fire earlier this month in Antelope, according to a Fox40 news report. Fire officials recommend keeping space heaters at least three feet away from flammable objects, and to always use properly rated extension cords.
City council hears update on local homeless outreach At a Thursday-night council meeting, City leaders heard a 20-minute report from the head of the Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART), a group formed in late-2014 to “craft and implement long-term solutions to a long-term problem” of homelessness, through public-private partnerships.
HART Chairwoman Kathilynn Carpenter said she believes connecting homeless individuals with available services and resources, in addition to enforcement of existing laws, is "the most cost-effective model" to addressing homelessness. Carpenter, who also serves as executive director of Sunrise Marketplace, said her group has several events planned this year and seeks to launch a winter shelter in Citrus Heights by 2017, primarily through working with churches and other volunteer groups.
Councilmembers also heard an update from "navigator" Fatima Martinez, who works with HART to help connect homeless individuals with available resources. The one-year navigator pilot program was funded by a $10,000 grant through the City, and has currently been in operation for six months. Martinez reported engaging 19 homeless individuals, 14 of whom agreed to participate in services like general assistance, bus passes, free government cell phones, motel vouchers and transportation. She said out of the 14 participants, four were connected with Rancho Cordova's winter sanctuary, two were permanently housed, and three are temporarily housed. (Full story coming next week with additional details and councilmember responses.)
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Public hearing held on medical marijuana code amendment
A public hearing on a medical marijuana code amendment was short and uneventful Thursday night, with no members of the public speaking in favor or against the proposed change during the hearing. According to City staff, the amendment made no changes to current marijuana cultivation regulations in the city, but protects local control by adding references to existing regulations into the zoning code's "land use" tables. City officials said motivation behind the amendment was a deadline set by Assembly Bill 243, which requires cities to have medical marijuana land use regulations in place by March 1, 2016, in order to retain local licensing authority over marijuana cultivation -- otherwise licensing power would reside at the state level only. Councilmembers passed the amendment unanimously.
See what else happened over the past week: Citrus Heights This Week: what’s happening in town (Jan.24-30)
[Related update on Fox40: Brother of Man Shot In Face During Robbery Speaks Out]
A sign announces a checkpoint ahead, during a December Citrus Heights Police Department crackdown operation. // CH Sentinel
Man shot in Greenback Estates on Christmas Eve –A Citrus Heights police sergeant said a 26-year-old man was shot multiple times on Christmas Eve by one or more unknown suspects in a vehicle, leaving him hospitalized. According to Sgt. Nicole Garing, the shooting occurred on Dec. 24 around 6:15 p.m. on Donegal Drive, where the man was visiting relatives. Although only able to provide limited preliminary details on Saturday, the sergeant said additional information and a description of suspect(s) may be released at a later date. She said the shooting is under investigation and a motive is currently unknown. The vehicle involved, described as dark in color, fled the scene toward Auburn Boulevard.
Police release report from latest DUI Checkpoint operation –Citrus Heights police reported a Dec. 19 DUI checkpoint operation on Auburn Boulevard resulted in 734 vehicles being screened, with one field sobriety test administered, and no arrests. Six drivers were cited for being unlicensed or holding a suspended license, and two vehicles were towed for license-related violations. The Saturday-night checkpoint began at 8:30 p.m. and continued until around midnight, involving around 18 officers stationed on Auburn Boulevard near Twin Oaks Avenue.
Police said they are also conducting roving “DUI saturation patrols” through New Year’s Eve, which tend to result in higher arrest rates. A prior Memorial Day weekend DUI checkpoint held at the same location on Auburn Boulevard screened 871 vehicles and resulted in two arrests and eight citations. A saturation patrol the night before netted nine arrests in four hours, according to police.
Police: pursuit of stolen vehicle ends near Greenback Lane and Birdcage
–Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies pursued a reportedly stolen vehicle through Citrus Heights on Dec. 20, stopping the vehicle near Greenback Lane and Birdcage around 9:45 p.m. According to CHPD spokesman Wesley Herman, the incident did not initially involve Citrus Heights police, but officers assisted the Sheriff’s Department once the vehicle had been stopped. No collateral damage was reported in Citrus Heights from the pursuit, according to police records. At least one suspect was detained.
Updated Mar. 9, 10:15 a.m. —
Citrus Heights police said a suspect has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting on Greenback Lane Friday, according to a press release sent out this afternoon.
The 34-year-old male suspect was arrested and booked in the Sacramento County Jail on murder charges, after he was identified and located by law enforcement officers, according to the press statement authored by Lieutenant Christine Ford. “Due to the ongoing investigation,” Ford said a photo of the suspect would not be released, but police initially described the suspect being sought as a “black male adult wearing a dark colored sweatshirt possibly driving a silver colored sedan with damage to the passenger side.”
Police said the shooting occurred around 10:30 a.m. Friday on the 6500 block of Greenback Lane, where officers responded to reports of shots fired in the area and found a man who had been shot.
“Officers rendered medical aid until emergency medical personnel arrived,” according to police, but the man was later pronounced deceased. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office later identified the man as 22-year-old Shaun Blechinger.
While the investigation is still ongoing, detectives have determined the two men knew each other, and encourage anyone who may have additional information about the incident to contact Citrus Heights police at (916) 727-5500.
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Updated Jan. 24, 8:57 a.m.–
Citrus Heights police said officers shot a 52-year-old man in C-Bar-C Park Thursday night, after responding to a call from a relative who said the man had overdosed on prescription medication, had a handgun and was possibly suicidal.
Police “Do not cross” tape closed off C-Bar-C Park in Citrus Heights, Thursday night.
Officer Anthony Boehle said in a press release that officers responded to the 8200 block of Oak Avenue just after 7 p.m. Thursday, attempting to speak with the man after finding him in the park. Police dispatch also notified officers that a park maintenance worker had reported the man brandishing a firearm.
According to the release, “Officers, in fear for their safety, were forced to fire multiple rounds” at the man, after he “would not comply with any requests officers made,” and had pulled out a handgun — later determined to be a replica of a semi-automatic pistol.
The man was struck by one or more bullets in the lower torso and was transported to a local hospital after first aid was “immediately rendered” by officers on scene, according to the release. He was released “a short time later,” and then booked in the Sacramento County Jail on charges of obstructing an officer, resisting arrest and brandishing an imitation firearm.
Police said an investigation is still ongoing, involving Citrus Heights Police Department Investigations Services Division along with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office Crime Lab and investigators.
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[box]Jan. 16, 2015 update — The shooting is still under investigation and no arrest has been made so far, according to police spokesperson Anthony Boehle.[/box]
A Friday night shooting in Citrus Heights has left one man dead after police say his vehicle was struck by gunfire and collided with a light pole near Sayonara Drive and Lialana Way, according to a police department press release sent out today.
“The Citrus Heights Police Department and our community will not tolerate such violent crime in our neighborhoods,” said Lieutenant Ryan Kinnan. “We believe someone has information concerning this crime and are asking those individuals to come forward.”
Around 11:22 p.m. last night, officers were dispatched in response to a report of shots fired and later reports of a vehicle collision, according to police. Upon arrival, they located the vehicle and “performed life saving measures” on the unidentified unconscious male driver, until paramedics arrived and transported him to a local hospital where police say he was pronounced deceased.
A preliminary investigation indicates the shooting was not a random act and police are asking residents in the area with outdoor security cameras are asked to review their video footage to identify if they may have captured any details related to the incident.
Police say witnesses reported the shots were fired from a vehicle last seen heading west on Sayonara Drive, but are seeking more information.
The details involving the suspect and suspect vehicle are still under investigation, and anyone who may have information related to the incident is encouraged to contact the Investigative Service Division at 916-727-5500.
