Cloverdale Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting Identified

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Petaluma police have identified two Cloverdale police officers who were involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting early Saturday as Sgt. Jim Strattan and Acting Sgt. John Camara. Strattan has been a Cloverdale police officer for nine years and has been in law enforcement for 13 years, Petaluma police Lt. Tim Lyons said. Camara has been with the Cloverdale Police Department 18 years.

Four Cloverdale police officers and a supervisor responded to a report of a prowler with a hammer in the backyard of a residence in the 100 block of Garden Circle around 1:40 a.m. Saturday.

The suspect, later identified as Victor Gonzalez Gonzalez, 44, of Cloverdale, did not comply with demands to drop the hammer. Instead, Gonzalez allegedly raised it and quickly walked toward the officers, Lyons said.

The officers continued commands to drop the hammer as they retreated down a side yard but Gonzalez did not comply, Lyons said.

Strattan and Camara feared for their safety and shot Gonzalez.

Paramedics treated him at the scene and he was then taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he died, Lyons said.

Petaluma police and the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety are investigating the incident. Preliminary information indicates Gonzalez had no reason to be in the backyard of the residence, Lyons said.

By Bay City News Service

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