Deputy hospitalized, suspect killed in Colfax shootout
COLFAX -- A Placer County deputy is in the hospital and a suspect is dead after a shooting overnight in Colfax, the sheriff's office said.
Around 11 p.m. Thursday, multiple deputies were patrolling South Auburn Street in Colfax and located a van in the McDonald's parking lot that matched the description of a burglary the day prior.
"I saw him when I left work last night and then this morning, I wake up and my news feed is talking about the same guy," said Rod Allen, an employee at a nearby Mar-Val's grocery market.
The deputies contacted the man inside, who they later identified as 37-year-old Stephan Sharp, but he became uncooperative.
The sheriff's office said they tried to use de-escalation techniques, like pepper spray, but at some point, the suspect fired shots at the deputies.
Deputies immediately fired back but one deputy was shot. The sheriff's office said he was sent to the hospital where he is listed in critical condition but is stable. He was later identified as Richard Porter.
After deputies opened fire, additional deputies responded to the area and the sheriff's office's Special Enforcement Team (SET) was called out as the suspect was barricaded in the van.
The SET was able to approach the van and determine the suspect was dead. Deputies said it's unknown at this point if it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound or if he was shot by deputies.
The incident happened in one of the busiest areas of Colfax, with the investigation spilling over into the early afternoon of Friday.
"It's big news. They shut down everything here, really unfortunate," said Stanley Reyes, who was trying to get lunch from the strip mall.
The road was closed through most of the morning.
No other injuries were reported.
Deputies said Sharp was originally from Tennessee and had been living out of his van in the Colfax area.
