[UPDATE 9:05 p.m.] Breaking News: CHP Officer Shot, Suspects at Gunpoint
As of 4:25 p.m., a California Highway Patrol officer has been shot in Eureka and is holding four subjects at gunpoint. One suspect is down, according to scanner traffic.
Traffic is being halted in some areas. “No westbound traffic past R Street and 4th Street,” requests an officer.
Two ambulances have been requested.
UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: “There is a vehicle still at scene with three occupants and a suspect down,” according to scanner traffic.
UPDATE 4:40 p.m.: An outstanding suspect seen fleeing northbound from the scene.
UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: According to a witness at the scene the officer appears to have been shot in the leg. The suspect that is down appears to be not breathing.
A K9 unit has been requested.
UPDATE 4:44 p.m.: A helicopter is being requested. Photos provided by Robert Kroeker.
UPDATE 4:51 p.m.: Witness and reporter for this site, Robert (Bobby) Kroeker tells us that seven shell casing are being marked.
UPDATE 4:56 p.m.: Scanner traffic says there are no suspects outstanding at this time.
UPDATE 5:06 p.m.: Someone was shot in the car, reports Kroeker. In addition, Law enforcement has closed off Hwy 101 (4th street) at R Street and Q Street. Q Street is closed between 4th and 5th.
UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Photographer Jessica Ernst sends these photos from the scene:
UPDATE 5:25 p.m.: More photos from the scene by Bobby Kroeker.
UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: Photos from the scene about 5:30 p.m. from Oliver Cory.
UPDATE 6:08 p.m.: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has its mobile command center at the scene. Officers from multiple agencies are on site.
UPDATE 6:14 p.m.:
UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: “Traffic southbound is backed up to Target,” says Betsy Totten from Caltrans. Traffic control is in place and drivers are being asked to detour left on R Street and then head down Sixth Street, she said.
“People are being really patient and following all of our cones,” Totten explained. “We’re pretty impressed with how people are minding signals.”
UPDATE 6:33 p.m.:
Audio from the scene.
UPDATE 6:35 p.m.: According to Chief Andrew Mills, A CHP officer made a traffic stop. When the vehicle was stopped, a person came out of the car firing at the officer. The officer was struck but returned fire. The suspect succumbed to his injuries.
UPDATE 7 p.m.: Another photo from the scene as officers discuss the situation.
UPDATE 7:20 p.m.: According to Caltrans spokesperson Betsy Totten, Fourth Street will likely be closed until tomorrow morning. If you must go through Eureka to southbound Hwy 101 take Sixth Street to Broadway. Allow more time for your commute and avoid the area if possible.
UPDATE 7:48 p.m.: Here’s a map showing the detour.
UPDATE 9:05 p.m.: Below is a transcript of Chief Mills’ report on the situation earlier today:
The Eureka Police Department received a call of an officer that had been shot at the corner of Fourth and Q Streets. A CHP officer was shot and was down. Our officers went there to render aid and assistance. Upon their arrival, they found one CHP officer who had been shot and was down on the ground holding a car at gunpoint. The officers took care of him, and then with the fire department. And one other person had been shot at the scene. And here’s what we have learned up to this point. The officer made a traffic stop on the vehicle. And when he made the traffic stop on the vehicle, a short time afterward, a person came out of the car firing a handgun at him, and he was struck and he went down and returned fire, wounding the suspect. That suspect has succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. And that’s all we have at this time. I will not take any questions at this point because we just don’t have more information until we start doing interviews and collecting evidence.
For the next update go here.
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Come on man, the “fatality” you list is for a vehicle over the side in CRESCENT CITY
First reports didn’t list that information. As soon as it did I updated.
Frank, I suggest you go to the Times Standard for all the latest news. [edit!]
I hope the shot police officer is going to be alright. Thank you for protecting us from these stupid people
Amen!
Alright then Nancy!
Wow,been shot still holding at gunpoint the suspects now that’s how you do your job,CHP officer awsome.job.hoping you heal fast!!!!
Accidental firearm discharge?
That’s what I was thinking. If not, then the Officer did a heroic job of keeping a very dangerous situation under control. Initial reports listed 7 shell casings so I am leaning away from accidental discharge. Prayers and speedy recovery to the Officer.
Per a witness statement on LoCO, the driver of the pulled over car stepped out and fired three shots at the CHP vehicle, wounding the officer.
The officer then returned fire, taking down the shooter.
I don’t think there’s much possibility of accidental discharge of weapons here.
This assumes the witness statement to be accurate.
Channel 3 reports the person shot by the officer is dead.
I think that CALTrans meant 6th street.
I think you are right!
Maybe I’m missing a detail but why is this being looked at as shots accidentally discharged? Can someone explain? Of course this needs investigation but at face it looks like this officer did his job well under exceptionally difficult circumstances.
Chief Mills states in the audio that the suspect came out of the car firing and the officer, even though he was wounded fired back. There was no accidental discharge.
There was an incident on the firing range at CR last week, and Mr. X was being snide.
https://kymkemp.com/2015/10/30/man-injured-in-accidental-shooting-at-college-of-the-redwoods/
Anybody else have this problem. I was able to read loco’s article and comments on this. As soon as they added a utube video update my IPhone goes directly to the video and I can no longer access the article and comments. This started happening after I downloaded the 9. iOS upgrade .
You might want to contact LoCO. Maybe they can help.
Yes, I agree that this isn’t Kym’s problem; however, I have had the same problem with LoCO on my iPhone whenever a YouTube video is posted in the article. My work-around is holding down when you click the link to the article from the main page, copying the link, then pasting/opening in Internet explorer on your phone.
Mine too
Turn off your autoplay on your phone, that’s often the culprit as it’s the default setting.
The answer is just stay off that site. Kym’s is better and won’t put a virus on your phone.
Thanks for the updates, Kym – can you clarify where the closure on Fourth Street begins for those of us who would be coming into Eureka via the bridges?
When I came through earlier Fourth is closed at R St (the street coming off the bridge) to P.
I called Caltrans again and posted a map based on our conversation.
Thanks so much – really helpful! We need to go pick up our daughter in Old Town and didn’t want to waste time trying to get there via 255 if that wasn’t an option.
It sounds like the good guys won,. The bad guy, not so much.
Just another ugly day in Eureka. We need a new police chief, one that will clean up this town. This place has gone down hill quickly, all the low lives have all the rights while law abiding citizens and buisness owners are being being taken advantage of. Mills has to go!
If people would not give these people money and food when they are standing there with a piece of cardboard, they would eventually get it, and move on. We should provide needed services to those who register for such, but to give to these transits only perpetuates the problem. Roll up your windows, and don’t give them what they want. Donate to local food banks or a service agency of your choice.
Why do you think these people are transients? They own a car? Stupid comment.
Dude get your head out. EPD ( MILLS) Had nothing to do with this .It’s a CHP shooting. Get ur facts
How on earth do you get “bad police management” out of this story?? Judging by the actions in this story, this officer was the personification of a hero cop. There are dirtbags everywhere. This cop just risked his life, was shot, defended himself-minimizing danger to the community, and held the rest of the dirtbags at bay while shot. I’d say if you’re judging local law enforcement by a state employees actions, he makes them look good.
Nice scoop work, Kym, Bobby Kroeker, and Oliver Cory. The many pics tell more of the story than can be found anywhere else. Great job putting it together, and quickly.
I snapped this pic during the vehicle stop
Sadly, it didn’t load.
From the scene
It is probably too big. Either reduce it and try again or email it to me at [email protected]
I have observed this car parked at the 3 corners market over about the last month. Never saw the driver.
This happened in front of a very good friends house that saw the whole thing go down. She told me the officer was just doing a traffic stop when the suspect opened fire on the officer. Now my opinion. … Thank god the officer is going to be ok. May never work again? ???? Who knows. But the dirt ball will never pull another trigger on anyone. Just my opinion. … Thanks to all LEO’S
[…] Earlier Chapter: Breaking News: CHP Officer Shot, Suspects at Gunpoint […]
I wonder what happens to all of those stolen guns from right up the street.
Was the perps gun one of them?
If the gun was stolen, then the person who had it stolen from them can be prosecuted and civilly sued under that new law that Chief Andy has cooked up. If it was from Pacific Outfitters, the CHP officer could likely own that store after it is overwith!
So he held the car at Gun-point? Maybe it was the occupants Chief?
Times standard sucks!!!this is where to get your news.thanks to you all for letting us know what’s going on in humboldt and elsewhere.You make a mistake your on the correction with a smile,which I hear in your articles you rock!!!
Someone commenting on LOCO claims the deceased was his 13 year old brother.
Do you have access to the scanner archives to make the scanner traffic from this incident available? You used to post that stuff when these types of incidents occurred and it always helps better understand what occurred.
The scanner archive available to me starts with the shots fired report from dispatch. It doesn’t give much information but you can start listening about minute 23 on this recording.