Interview With a Witness and Photos From Last Night’s Homicide in Blue Lake

Officers at a homicide Mark McKenna

Members of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and a CHP officer at the site of last night’s homicide. [All photos by Mark McKenna]

Law enforcement is investigating a fatal shooting last night about 9:45 in Blue Lake at the Patriot Gas Station which the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department is investigating as a “reported armed robbery.”

Chris Bondy who lives across the street and gave CPR to the person who died spoke to us about what occurred.

Bondy said to the best of his knowledge law enforcement did not know who had shot the man, but he believed the armed robbery suspect was the person who was killed.

“I heard a shot,” he told us. He said his first thought was for the Patriot Gas Station attendant, ‘That was at the Patriot. I hope Mark’s okay.”‘

Bondy ran outside in his pajamas. “I assessed the situation ’cause I’m not trying to get shot,” he explained. “I did see a guy laying on the ground.”

Bondy went to the man. “He was laying on his stomach and bleeding out,” Bondy told us. “He was roughly in between the gas pumps and the door…It was a chest shot [but] it was kind of on his side…There was money on the ground around him and underneath him.”

The gas station attendant and another local resident showed up. Another person was not far behind, Bondy said.

“I had my hand on his pulse,” Bondy who had previously held first responder credentials but let them lapse explained. He described it as weak. “We were applying pressure on his wound,” he said. “Me and the other person that showed up very shortly after…rolled him over and did chest compressions. His breathing was sporadic. The man was obviously dying…His eyes were moving…He did not see anything… We could not get him to respond to us…We did our best to keep him alive until the ambulance showed up.”

About five minutes after Bondy arrived at the injured man’s side, he said two law enforcement vehicles arrived. “There were two cars [that] pull[ed] up very quickly. I wave them over to us and [was] pointing at the victim on the ground. They ordered us on the ground.”

Bondy said he was troubled because “they stopped us from doing CPR.” The officers pointed guns at him and the other men. “[They] cuffed us, started searching the area,” he explained. “They even put the gas station attendant on the ground.”

He said he understood that the arriving officers didn’t know what was going on–“It was kind of a hot scene”–but he was “disconcerted” that it took a couple of minutes before other officers arrived and CPR was restarted.

“I understand they have a protocol to be safe,” he told us, “[but] it took easily a couple of minutes longer than it should have taken when someone’s life was at stake…Someone should have jumped on when they took us off of him.”

He said he was “a little concerned” that the officer pointing a gun at him might shoot him. “I told him at least twice don’t shoot me,” he told us.

“I was handcuffed on the ground for at least a half an hour maybe longer,” he explained. “There were four of us on the ground. The fourth person was very distraught. It is not an easy thing to watch someone die.”

UPDATE: Gas Station Attendant Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Suspected Armed Robber

Earlier Chapter: One Person With Gunshot Wound to Chest After Armed Robbery at Gas Station in Blue Lake

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62 Comments
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Mego
Guest
3 years ago

I’m really concerned about the shooter.. it’s a loss of life and that’s terrible, but we’ve seen where the shooter gets charged with murder when they feel like they were protecting themselves or others.

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago
Reply to  Mego

It is being reported he left the scene and then came back to shoot the robber when he came out of the building. That is not a good idea

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Mego

How fu¢ked up, the cops saw two people giving CPR and ordered them to stop and cuffed them… They could have saved his life… For all the cops knew it was the gas station attendent innocently dieing on the ground… I ask the cops involved, including their supervisors, why stop people doing CPR????????

FTP
Guest
FTP
3 years ago

Because people should die to protect the police but wait aren’t they supposed to protect us ?

Anon
Guest
Anon
3 years ago

Chris’s account is a strong argument against playing Good Samaritan if someone has been shot. Handcuffed and detained to risk getting shot by a poorly trained LEO for trying to render aide? I understand better people’s unwillingness to step in, certainly make me think twice about getting involved .

Plus idk , not to cast shade, but if someone is still breathing and bleeding from a chest wound is CPR advised?

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
3 years ago
Reply to  Anon

Poorly trained? How should they respond to a gunshot call with numerous people around? Saunter up with their hands in their pockets and go “he huh, golly gee, how’s it going fellas?”

Did they shoot the guy? Beat him? Jail him? He was inconvenienced for 30 minutes and experienced mild discomfort. .. out of a situation he chose to get involved in. He’ll be fine. Life will go on… except for the robber’s, naturally.

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

Maybe not point guns at people giving CPR, stupid Question ‘Pike Mortar’.

Beep
Guest
Beep
3 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

That’s not mild discomfort. That’s a traumatic situation. While attempting to save someone’s life, they were handcuffed, threatened (Having a gun pointed at you is a threat, whether or not you intend to shoot at that moment because you shouldn’t point a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot. Basic gun safety), then watched the person they were trying to save die while unable to help. If you consider that a minor inconvenience, you probably have a lot of unprocessed trauma you should do something about before it destroys your health.

Concerned Citizen
Guest
Concerned Citizen
3 years ago
Reply to  Anon

I understood completely why they detained us. When the officers first arrived, tbey were three of them and 4 of us. Someone on the ground and mutilpe calls of an active shooter. Yes, the had us stop what we were doing to detain us, but we werent cuffed until the fire department arrive. The fire cheif cuffed us for his safety and his mens safety since he had nk clue what we were on the ground for. Medical personal arrived very shortly after the officers. It was a very stressful situation and the officers handled it well in my opinion. As far as they knew, the shooter could have been around the corner waiting to come back. Being the other person helping Bondy with the man who had been shot, i dont believe that it would have made a difference anyway… Unfortunalety, the man was pretty far gone by the time we got there.

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago

Thanks for trying

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

You are more generous than I would have been. It’s understandable the police these days are cautious when when entering on such a scene but the fire chief? When the police are already There and have scene you trying to help? Since when is being on the scene of a crime, helping, a threat. That you for providing more information.

MikeyC
Guest
MikeyC
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Second this. Thanks for sharing and thanks for your compassion in trying to save the life of a man you did not know. The world is a better place with people like you. I would agree the cops could do a better job administering CPR. I have seen it as well before where rendering aid, both to criminals and true victims, is very far down their priority list as well.

Beep
Guest
Beep
3 years ago

That doesn’t sound like handling it well. That sounds like a complete lack of communication and awareness. If they seriously thought someone had a gun, they should have done a pat down. Why would they NOT cuff you if they thought you had a gun?

If it was necessary to restrain y’all, it’s a flagrant disregard for human life to not help the injured party. Very concerning considering it’s their job to “protect and serve”.

Glenn Franco Simmons
Guest
Glenn Franco Simmons
3 years ago
Reply to  Anon

You know nothing of police training. Do you even know what POST is? Educate yourself before you write something so stupid, even using the coward approach of anonymously.

Anon
Guest
Anon
3 years ago

Calm down. The comment re “poorly trained LEOs ” was NOT in reference to how they made attempts to secure the scene.

It was a generality that applies to all law enforcement and is validated by the many fatal exchanges they are involved in, because every fatality at the hands of law enforcement can’t ALL be chalked up to racist, intentional homicide. Nope. Some are obviously just plain stupidity, human error, and yes, poor training.

Local farmer
Guest
Local farmer
3 years ago

“You know nothing of police training.”
LOL🙄😂. Inform us then cop whisperer, because they mostly seem to be power tripping dickheads for the most part. Ya I know some are actually helpful, I’ve just never had one help me ever, with anything.

rollin
Guest
rollin
3 years ago
Reply to  Local farmer

Ditto

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Local farmer

I have. My mother was assisted by a policeman when she got locked out of her car with a dog inside. And more important I’ve seen police help other from people suffer a mental breakdown to a woman who was being hit by her male companion. And a number of drunks lying in the streets taken out of harms way. Maybe it’s not only attitude of the police that’s the problem.

Concerned Citizen
Guest
Concerned Citizen
3 years ago

I would like to point out the fact that while life saving efforts were being made, Bondy and I never performed CPR. That was done by the medical professionals when they arrived on scene.

Elvis Costanza
Guest
Elvis Costanza
3 years ago

I guess after the previous robbery a few weeks ago, someone thought the gas station was easy pickings.

Annie
Guest
Annie
3 years ago

The armed robber got exactly what he deserved. No loss. Shooter should get a medal.

Antinio
Guest
Antinio
3 years ago
Reply to  Annie

To Annie; I guess you are a Trump supporter

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago
Reply to  Antinio

Just stop

cu2morrow
Guest
cu2morrow
3 years ago
Reply to  Antinio

and today’s putz award goes to…. #16

Local farmer
Guest
Local farmer
3 years ago
Reply to  Antinio

I’m not a Trump or Biden supporter, I agree the armed robber got what comes.

rollin
Guest
rollin
3 years ago
Reply to  Antinio

Antinio-Sooooo, because Annie is ok with an armed robber, threatening peoples lives with a gun, getting shot, she’s a Trump supporter? Most rational people support shooting someone who is threatening to shoot you first. You must be a Bernie supporter.

Mike
Guest
Mike
3 years ago

The employee has been arrested for murder.

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Shot the guy with an allegedly stolen gun too. https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2020/jul/3/blue-lake-homicide-investigation/

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago

And I believe he has a felony conviction for a shooting in Eureka a few years ago

https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2011/jul/26/epd-last-nights-shooting/

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Thank you for the information.

So proud of everyone
Guest
So proud of everyone
3 years ago

It would have been better if the deputies showed up and just ignored their own safety, increasing their odds of getting attacked by the unknown person(s)with a gun who just shot someone. Then everyone could have done CPR on everyone else. What could go wrong with that?

NoBody
Guest
NoBody
3 years ago

IDK. The guy bleeding on the ground getting CPR and the one administering CPR – should be obvious what is going on and of little threat. I think they should have had one officer let the CPR continue while standing by with gun drawn (pointed at the ground) to secure that scene. Others people standing by, yeah sure, detain them.

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago
Reply to  NoBody

Unless it was two robbers and one is giving cpr to his accomplice that was shot?

I understand your point but there is no reason to believe they were not involved. I’d say the pajamas but people wear those to the grocery now

MikeyC
Guest
MikeyC
3 years ago
Reply to  NoBody

Agreed. Could have had one officer clear the scene and one render aid.

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
3 years ago

“ “I understand they have a protocol to be safe,” he told us, “[but] it took easily a couple of minutes longer than it should have taken when someone’s life was at stake…Someone should have jumped on when they took us off of him.”

^^THIS^^ is very problematic. One of those officers could have jumped in to help with CPR, not force everyone to the ground. THAT is 2 minutes that could have made the difference in a life.

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago

Easy to say on a Friday morning. They didn’t know how many robbers there were or who was who. Tough choice to make when you don’t know if an accomplice is waiting around the corner

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
3 years ago
Reply to  Mr. Bear

Easy to say at any given time. LEOs could have handled it initially differently. As an example, I have family that are fire fighters that work in gang territories of L.A. They have to make these decisions with LEOs almost daily. I’ve heard their stories. If you see someone performing live-protecting maneuvers, you keep your ass back even if there’s gunfire over your head. I’m sticking to my words that those two minutes of testimony are going to be played over and over in a courtroom soon.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Stop the people helping.
Stop the CPR.
Stop saving anyone’s life.
Make sure there’s a body count.

Is this what cops are good for?

Why
Guest
Why
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Just FYI. The guy doing CPR says he had a weak pulse and was looking around. CPR is only used if you don’t have a pulse. I don’t know the guys condition when the cops arrived, but it sounds like CPR was the wrong call at that time.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Why provide CPR to an armed robber?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

It’s called rule of law, where people get a day in court before being executed.

Old School
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Why, Because that was Hopefully ,Someone’s loved Family Member, Even Good People are driven to desperate deeds. If they ,or
loved ones are hungry, or sick,meaning,addicted, these people need treatment ,compassion, not closed minded hatred.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Old School

None of those are an excuse for armed robbery. That is a good thing to be closed minded about.

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Because they should apply CPR to you if you needed it.

C Armstrong
Guest
C Armstrong
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Whoosh. Asking that makes you no better than him.

Yes
Guest
Yes
3 years ago

What protocol from the HCSO. Unbelievable in all due respect. The neighbor guy whom gave CPR to the deceased, held in handcuffs for over a half hour. I mean we need the cops, yes, but come on really, this is the way to best handle the situation? Really? So sad. If the robber was the deceased, then I feel he got what was coming, C ya. Robbers Beware! I feel no empathy towards you.

MikeyC
Guest
MikeyC
3 years ago
Reply to  Yes

Agreed. Defunding is stupid, but protocols like this are more stupid.

Old School
Guest
3 years ago

How many Cops in Humboldt Co have been Killed, Since Sherrif Cox,,bless his heart,

Beep
Guest
Beep
3 years ago
Reply to  Old School

Is that a Southern “bless his heart”?

Old School
Guest
3 years ago

Next question, how many People have , EPD,APD,FPD,HCSD, killed in the past few years?

Old School
Guest
3 years ago

Noone is more down for your Constitutional 2nd amendment Right to Bear arms and protect your home and Property,than I am, I’m just so saddend, by people’s,lack of perspective, and quickness to judge, without knowing jack, while they are in their nice little culdisac, with full bellies, and their big screens, devices, and yes I’m going to say it” White Privledge, because it’s real. I pray for this Poor Soul, and Whoever loved Him, I commend the neighbor,_ Don’t Change and yes, I am white as Paste.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Old School

Your color does not make you unbiased in this case. In fact it seems make it necessary to allege bias. That’s pretty judgemental too.

No weapons seen by the police???
Guest
No weapons seen by the police???
3 years ago

More cameras would have been helpful. Especially if they had visuals sent to the police car’s computer The stopping of CPR may have taken a life. And a police officer sees a person applying CPR and then cuffs the guy?? What’s wrong with this picture?

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
3 years ago

I think you have a flawed concept of the technology at play here

So proud of you all
Guest
So proud of you all
3 years ago

Very impressive, we have a homicide and an armed robbery and all we are concerned about is if the cops were nice. We are doing so good as a society, good for you, good for me.

Lady
Guest
Lady
3 years ago

Cmon Cyberdyne Systems. Just buy, install and upgrade, lock and load. The robot will identify a firearm where a firearm shouldn’t be, and let the robot blast away

robin predeth
Guest
robin predeth
3 years ago

just wrong no murder charges should be filed

HotCoffee
Guest
HotCoffee
3 years ago

Details matter and no one here knows them, yet.

Carol Koessel
Guest
Carol Koessel
3 years ago

McKinleville cops. They always over react and are scared of everything. I’m a 60 year old 108 lb woman who last week was thrown to the ground, handcuffed, detained, vehicle illegally searched. Yeah. I’m a huge threat… They need training or cops that aren’t terrified.

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
3 years ago
Reply to  Carol Koessel

McKinleyville is not a city. They don’t have cops. They have sheriffs.

Merriam-Webster dictionary
Definition of cop: police officer
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cop

Wikipedia
Cop commonly refers to a police officer.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cop

Fred SMith
Guest
Fred SMith
3 years ago

T-Shirt I saw yesterday: “Social Media – where lazy, stupid people go to feel important”. Everybody here qualifies 🙂

Bug on a Windshield
Guest
Bug on a Windshield
3 years ago
Reply to  Fred SMith

Says the one commenting on social media. Feel important yet?