Chaos erupted at the Winters Police Department on Sunday night when an armed teenager threatened officers from outside the building, later triggering a chase during which a Yolo County sheriff’s deputy “unintentionally” discharged his firearm, officials said.
The incident unfolded shortly after 6:30 p.m., when officers received a report of a man armed with a knife outside the West Main Street police station, which was closed to the public at the time. Officers who were inside the lobby made contact with the person, who allegedly was holding a three-inch knife.
“The subject repeatedly yelled he wanted to kill the officers, stabbing and kicking the glass doors to the lobby multiple times,” police said in a social media post following the confrontation. Police requested assistance from the Yolo and Solano County sheriff’s departments, initiating de-escalation techniques in the meantime.
During those negotiations, “the subject then drew a handgun from his front pocket and briefly displayed it but did not point it at the officers,” police said. “The subject threw the gun into nearby bushes but continued to hold the knife in a threatening manner, still yelling repeatedly he wanted to kill the officers.”
The siren from an approaching Yolo sheriff’s deputy car prompted the person to flee north on Main Street, leading to the closure of nearby streets while officers pursued him on foot and by vehicle, police said. The chase continued eastbound on Aster Street, a residential neighborhood, where one officer deployed a Taser but was unsuccessful in subduing the person.
“The subject physically resisted officers and the deputy discharged his firearm during the altercation,” police said. “The subject was not hit and was taken into custody but continued to physically resist.”
Two Winters officers reportedly suffered minor injuries during the altercation.
Police identified the person as a 17-year-old Winters resident, who was booked at Yolo County Juvenile Hall on felony charges of resisting an officer by threat or violence and assault with a deadly weapon, after receiving medical clearance at a local hospital. Both the knife and the gun — which turned out to be a replica Glock pistol — were recovered by officers.
The incident remains under investigation by the Winters Police Department as well as the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, which has launched an investigation into the gun discharge.
“Last night, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency request for backup made by officers with the Winters Police Department. Upon arrival, one of our deputy sheriffs encountered a dynamic scene with the reportedly armed suspect actively fleeing from officers,” Lt. Matt Davis said in a statement released Monday.
“As the deputy joined in the effort to take the suspect into custody, a single round was unintentionally discharged,” Davis added. “Fortunately, nobody was hurt as a result. The Sheriff’s Office has initiated an administrative investigation into the incident.”
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene
