By Sara Beth Williams–
A fatal shooting on Highway 50 overnight involving multiple agencies, including Citrus Heights Police, prompted a road closure that snarled early morning traffic on surface streets in Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, and Rancho Cordova.
Additional law enforcement agencies were called in to assist in pursuing a suspect who initially fled from California Highway Patrol after 11:20 p.m. on Monday night, including deputies from Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and officers from the Citrus Heights Police Department.
The suspect led law enforcement officers on a chase throughout Rancho Cordova, Fair Oaks, and then back toward Highway 50.
While on Highway 50 near Hazel Avenue, law enforcement deployed spike strips to help stop the vehicle.
When the vehicle finally stopped, the driver exited with what appeared to be a gun in their hand California Highway Patrol told local news outlets. The Sentinel has reached out to CHP, who is leading the investigation, or more details regarding the officer-involved shooting and has not yet heard back.
At that point, law enforcement officers opened fire, wounding the suspect driver. First responders were able to provide medical aid, and the driver was taken to the hospital where they later died, local news reports say. The driver’s identity was not released.
Highway 50 was closed from Hazel Avenue to Sunrise Boulevard for multiple hours overnight. Lanes weren’t reopened until the morning. No officers were injured in the incident.
Multiple surface streets in Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks were impacted, including Sunrise Boulevard and San Juan Avenue.
Interstate 80 from Citrus Heights westbound to Sacramento also felt the impacts of the closure of Highway 50 as more drivers chose alternate routes to avoid the heavy traffic and road closures.
Hazel Avenue was also shut down at Gold Country Road overnight due to an unrelated fatal collision that damaged the signal light pole.
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