Shelter-in-Place issued during police action near Citrus Heights Walgreens Tuesday

By Sara Beth Williams–
Citrus Heights police were dispatched to a parking lot at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Antelope Road on Tuesday midmorning after reports of a man, allegedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, inside a vehicle, officials said Tuesday evening. According to police radio transmissions, the caller was concerned that the driver would leave in the vehicle while under the influence.

Sgt. Dave Neher of the Citrus Heights Police Department stated that when officers made contact with the individual, he refused to exit the vehicle. Neher said drug paraphernalia “was at play,” and a K-9 officer was requested but arrived later.

Before the K-9 arrived, officers broke the vehicle’s window and used pepper spray to subdue the individual before taking him into custody, Neher confirmed.

“Pepper spray can be used when certain behaviors indicate that [the individual’s] level of compliance may result in harm to officers,” Neher explained, speaking generally about when its use may be warranted. Police radio transmissions indicated that the individual had made threats toward officers in 2022.

As a precaution, police advised both Walgreens and the nearby Mountain Mike’s Pizza to shelter in place. Neher stated that the shelter-in-place order was “potentially” requested by law enforcement for safety reasons. He added that businesses are sometimes asked to shelter in place to prevent bystanders from inadvertently putting themselves in harm’s way.

Officials did not confirm whether the individual was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both. No injuries to officers were reported.