"I was feet away from him": Witnesses describe encountering armed suspect later shot, killed by Sacramento police
SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Police Department said the armed man who was shot and killed in the officer-involved shooting downtown on Tuesday was pointing a gun that appears to be a revolver at multiple security officers.
Officers saw the man fire the gun, but the update from police does not outline how many shots were fired or when in the hours-long standoff it happened.
A SWAT officer ultimately shot once, hit the suspect and the standoff ended. This all happened at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday on the rooftop of the DOCO Parking Garage next to Macy's in the 300 block of L Street.
This was just about two hours after the Jonas Brothers concert ended at the Golden 1 Center.
"I was feet away from him," said Kimberley Noriega, who works at the G1C. "He was on the other side of the parking lot."
Noriega was at her car on the rooftop of the garage during a break from her work cleaning up the G1C at around 12:45 a.m. when she saw the man.
"Security told me I had to vacate the premises because the guy had a gun," said Noriega.
Other witnesses told CBS13 they had seen the man in the elevator with the gun.
"Gosh, if he would have done it right when they were coming out [of the concert]," said Noriega. "That would have been horrible. That would have been horrific."
Crisis negotiator teams were called to the scene to try and de-escalate the situation, but police ultimately said the man would not comply. When he pointed his gun at officers just after 5 a.m., authorities said they shot at him, ending the standoff.
"Everybody is scared," said Peter Navin, who owns a custom tailor business directly below the parking garage.
His business has been in downtown Sacramento for 42 years. He said he has been broken into multiple times, and he has had enough.
"I don't know whether or not I'll resign again once my lease is over," Navin said.
Safety is a concern for almost every person CBS13 spoke with in DOCO.
"Obviously when someone displays a handgun at officers, our attempt is to stop the threat," said Sergeant Carlos Martinez with the Sacramento Police Department.
The parking structure reopened after crime scene investigators combed through the evidence at around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Noriega and others were finally able to access their cars after hours of waiting.
"I'm just ready to go home and just hug my mom and everything because you never know when it could be your last," said Noriega.
The incident is being investigated by the Sacramento Police Department's Homicide Unit, Internal Affairs Division and Professional Standards Unit. Sacramento police said the Force Investigation Team will conduct an investigation that focuses on policy, tactics, and training as it relates to the use of force.
If you witnessed this incident, contact the Sacramento Police Department: (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the free "P3 Tips" smartphone app.
