Rookie Sacramento Police Officer, Former Pleasant Hill Resident, Dies After Being Shot In Standoff
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF/CBS 13) -- A rookie Sacramento police officer died of her wounds early Thursday after she was shot while investigating a domestic violence call, authorities said.
A standoff with the suspect, who had barricaded himself inside a home, came to an end at 1:54 a.m. with the alleged gunman being taken into custody. His identity has not been released.
Sacramento Police identified the slain officer as 26-year-old Officer Tara O'Sullivan. She was mortally wounded while on a domestic disturbance call with her training officer on the 200 block of Redwood Avenue.
"We are devastated tonight," said Deputy Chief Dave Peletta. "There are no words to convey the depth of sadness we feel or how heartbroken we are for our young, brave officer."
O'Sullivan grew up in Pleasant Hill and was a 2011 graduate of College Park High School. She attended Sacramento State before joining the Sacramento police.
It has been 20 years since a Sacramento police officer has died in the line of duty.
Due to active fire, it took officials nearly an hour to get to O'Sullivan, who was down in a yard behind the suspect house.
Police met with the involved female at a separate location to help gather her belongings. When they entered a home in the 200 block of Redwood around 5:30 p.m., a man shot O'Sullivan in the backyard with a high-powered rifle.
Sacramento Police said the suspect was armed with a rifle and continued to fire in the area and inside the home.
A vigil for the officer was being held outside UC Davis Medical Center. The Twin Rivers Police Department opened Noralto Elementary School at 477 Las Palmas as a center for those who were displaced by evacuations in the area.
Chandler said the female from the original domestic violence call is safe and was evacuated from the location.
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