NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A fatal Monday morning shooting near Yountville led to a pursuit with law enforcement and the apparent suicide of the suspect.
Capt. Doug Pike of the Napa County Sheriff's Office said deputies were dispatched to a report of a shooting in the 6100 block of Solano Avenue, south of Yountville, shortly before noon on Monday.
As the deputies arrived on scene, they observed two male subjects – one of whom was armed – in a vineyard, Pike said.
On the deputies' approach, the armed individual – a male in his late 40s – ran to a black SUV, which was parked nearby, and fled the scene, according to Pike.
Pike said that while one of the deputies pursued the black SUV, the other deputy went to the victim to render aid.
He said the victim – also a male in his late 40s – was found to be suffering from at least one gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, the deputy who was pursuing the SUV was joined by other sheriff’s deputies, officers from the Napa Police Department and a helicopter from the California Highway Patrol, Pike said.
The armed suspect fled northbound on Highway 29 to Oakville and then west on Oakville Grade toward Sonoma County, Pike said.
The pursuit ended near the Napa/Sonoma county line on private property off Wall Road, where Pike said the suspect vehicle was located in a heavily wooded area.
Fearing the suspect may be armed with a high-powered weapon and on foot in the area, authorities established a large perimeter and SWAT teams from both the Napa County Sheriff’s Office and Napa Police Department were requested, Pike said.
At the same time, Pike said the sheriff’s office sent out a Nixle alert asking residents in the area to lock their doors and report any suspicious activity in the area.
Upon arrival of the SWAT teams, officers approached the SUV and found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Pike said.
Pike said the names of the deceased will not be released until after notification to next of kin.
The Napa County Major Crimes Investigation Team – which Pike said is comprised of members from the Napa Sheriff’s Office, Napa Police Department, Calistoga Police Department and the Napa County District Attorney’s Office – is investigating the homicide.
REGIONAL: Napa County homicide suspect kills self following pursuit with law enforcement
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