By Sara Beth Williams–
A suspect wanted for brutal assault on a female victim was fatally shot on Interstate 80 in Citrus Heights while fleeing Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday, July 5.
Traffic was impacted for several hours Sunday as law enforcement officials investigated an officer involved shotting. Eastbound lanes on I-80 were closed for much of the day, while some westbound lanes were temporarily impacted. Drivers were unable to enter eastbound I-80 from Madison Avenue and Greenback Lane and forced to take detours.
Reports say while California Highway Patrol was at the scene at the time of the shooting, only Sacramento County Sheriff deputies were involved in the fatal shooting of the suspect they were pursuing at the time of the incident. California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in an update Monday morning that the man who deputies fatally shot was armed at the time of the shooting. The weapon was recovered at the scene during the investigation.
According to a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office press release, police said a woman called police Sunday morning after escaping from her ex-husband who had spent three days brutally assaulting her. When police arrived at the residence of the suspect, they discovered he had left the scene in the woman’s vehicle.
The vehicle was located by a neighboring agency and both Sacramento County Sheriff’s, and California Highway Patrol, pursued the suspect vehicle. The suspect led authorities on a chase that ended on eastbound Interstate 80 between Antelope Road and Greenback Lane exits, where gunfire was ultimately discharged toward the suspect. The suspect was wounded and pronounced dead at the scene.
The woman suffered significant injuries, and was beaten, strangled, and pistol-whipped the press release said. The victim is recovering in the hospital in stable condition.
