Sighting of Bassler Near His Mother's has Fort Bragg on Alert

Sighted this morning at 8:15 near the home of his mother, Aaron Bassler, the suspect in two recent homicides that have rocked Mendocino Co. continues to elude capture. According to the SF Gate,   “[m]ore than 50 law enforcement officers are combing a neighborhood on the eastern edge of Fort Bragg today. “It was a positive sighting,” Capt. Kurt Smallcombm spokesperson for the Mendocino Sheriff said. “We have reason to believe he’s still right in that general area.”

A reverse 911 call went out about 10:45am to the area stating that there was a homicide suspect in the area, lock your doors and windows and stay inside. (From Press Democrat)

The Press Democrat states, “the house…was soon swarmed by patrol cars, a helicopter, a command vehicle, an ambulance and other emergency vehicles. Deputies and officers surrounded the area, many with their guns drawn. The agencies included Mendocino County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service. At about 4 p.m. a group of men in camouflage bulletproof vests and helmets, and with weapons, walked down the road toward Bassler’s mother’s house. Law enforcement officials appear to be searching the area and staging operations at his mother’s house.

Bassler is wanted for the homicide of Fort Bragg Councilman, Jere Melo and well known community member, Matthew Coleman.

UPDATE: 6:10 Sept 4:  The Fort Bragg Advocate News is reporting that “The Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone who lives in the area either stay in Fort Bragg or lock their doors this evening. Searches will continue around the clock.”

UPDATE: 8: Sept 4:  The Press Democrat updated it’s story with fresh information.  The most pertinent is–

The deputies had verbal contact with Bassler, who ran away and into the forest. They then sent a police dog after him, and the dog made some type of contact, though it is unknown if the dog injured Bessler, who escaped, Smallcomb said.

The house on Sherwood Road east of town is located about a mile from the spot along the Skunk Train rail line where Bassler is suspected of shooting forester and Fort Bragg Councilman Jere Melo nine days ago.

Bassler’s mother was home at the time her son was sighted Sunday, but Smallcomb said officials do not believe they had any contact.

UPDATE 8:50 Sept 4:  The Fort Bragg Advocate posted an update: ” At 8:30 p.m. Sheriff’s Capt. Kurt Smallcomb said searches in the forest near the 30,000 block of Sherwood Road are continuing “as we speak.” Smallcomb corrected a previous report that Bassler was last seen in dark clothing, but that he was, in fact, wearing camouflage clothing when spotted by law enforcement personnel. Smallcomb said a police K9 was able to catch Bassler for a moment before he slipped away. Smallcomb reminded residents in that area to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. Residents are urged to call 911 at the first sign of suspicious activity.”

_________________
Photo from the Press Democrat.
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Derek
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Derek
12 years ago

I went by the mothers property about 5 pm and it was packed with perhaps 25 law enforcement vehicles including the armored vehicle as they are using the property as a staging area, and I just now drove by there coming back from a friends and it appears that they aren’t going to find him anytime soon as most of the law enforcement vehicles and the ambulance have left and only for or six sheriff’s vehicles remain. The place is all lit up and BRIGHT! Oh, the Heli just flew over headed towards the hospital, I’m i the regular flight zone.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Derek

Thanks for the update. I hope the officers and the worried folk in the neighborhood get a decent night’s rest.

Derek
Guest
Derek
12 years ago

I went by the mothers property about 5 pm and it was packed with perhaps 25 law enforcement vehicles including the armored vehicle as they are using the property as a staging area, and I just now drove by there coming back from a friends and it appears that they aren’t going to find him anytime soon as most of the law enforcement vehicles and the ambulance have left and only for or six sheriff’s vehicles remain. The place is all lit up and BRIGHT! Oh, the Heli just flew over headed towards the hospital, I’m i the regular flight zone.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Derek

Thanks for the update. I hope the officers and the worried folk in the neighborhood get a decent night’s rest.

Elk Ridge
Guest
Elk Ridge
12 years ago

The good news here is to some extent the suspect may now be contained in an area that is manageable and can be secured. Before it was the question as to where he was headed. The suspect in this case tried to return to his mom who had been the one who had driven him with a rifle to near where Coleman was killed. A question is going to be where this guy received a rifle from, who obtained it for him, as the suspect was legally prohibited from owning a gun due to his criminal history and his mental condition. The suspect also has a previous arrest for a loaded concealed Glock and the last tme he was arrested he had to be tazed at the site of his crash into a Middle School at 80 m.p.h. even at a .25 alc level. The question is how is an unemployed psyco getting all these guns and who is/was providing them. There is a very real problem here of how a madman is enabled to become one. There is the mental/gun part of this and the drugs/criminal psychotic part of this. Someone with psycosis who continues using drugs becomes much more dangerous over time as seems the case here. The comedy of errors of the legal system, the mental health system and the social services system is in combination with the rest of it. It is the creation of the armed, drugged, dangerous madman that is senseless and it very well could be this guy has killed a number of other people.

Elk Ridge
Guest
Elk Ridge
12 years ago

The good news here is to some extent the suspect may now be contained in an area that is manageable and can be secured. Before it was the question as to where he was headed. The suspect in this case tried to return to his mom who had been the one who had driven him with a rifle to near where Coleman was killed. A question is going to be where this guy received a rifle from, who obtained it for him, as the suspect was legally prohibited from owning a gun due to his criminal history and his mental condition. The suspect also has a previous arrest for a loaded concealed Glock and the last tme he was arrested he had to be tazed at the site of his crash into a Middle School at 80 m.p.h. even at a .25 alc level. The question is how is an unemployed psyco getting all these guns and who is/was providing them. There is a very real problem here of how a madman is enabled to become one. There is the mental/gun part of this and the drugs/criminal psychotic part of this. Someone with psycosis who continues using drugs becomes much more dangerous over time as seems the case here. The comedy of errors of the legal system, the mental health system and the social services system is in combination with the rest of it. It is the creation of the armed, drugged, dangerous madman that is senseless and it very well could be this guy has killed a number of other people.

Anne on a Mouse
Guest
Anne on a Mouse
12 years ago

Hopefully there will be no more violence. I read in the Press Democrat that the police had verbal contact with him and their dog chased him and made physical contact with him Sunday. Yet they couldn’t get him? Come on guys you can do better than that.

Anne on a Mouse
Guest
Anne on a Mouse
12 years ago

Hopefully there will be no more violence. I read in the Press Democrat that the police had verbal contact with him and their dog chased him and made physical contact with him Sunday. Yet they couldn’t get him? Come on guys you can do better than that.