Armed suspect, K9 officer shot in home invasion

SACRAMENTO —Police are investigating a home invasion that resulted Monday in an armed suspect being shot and killed by officers.

Around 8:35 p.m. Monday, police responded to the 2000 block of O’Neil Way regarding a home invasion in progress. The victim was able to call 911 and left the phone line open as the armed suspect tied up the victims and began to search through the residence. The victims were later identified as a 17-year- old female and a 5-year-old Asian male.

Upon arrival, officers detained a 23-year-old Asian male as he was walking away from the area. The subject was later found to be associated with the home invasion.

A sergeant and four officers took position in front of the house. To prevent the suspect from fleeing, one officer and his K9 partner “Bandit” covered the back of the house. The officer and Bandit observed the suspect come out into the backyard. The suspect and the officer exchanged gunfire, which resulted in Bandit being shot in the chest. The suspect retreated back into the house and then ran out through the front door still armed with a handgun. The suspect failed to follow officers’ commands to drop the weapon and was shot by fours officers positioned at the front of the house.

The victims were found tied up but uninjured inside the residence. Bandit was taken to an area hospital where he was last said to be in stable condition.

Detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the scene. Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed the suspect, an Asian male in his 30s, came to the door and used a ruse to gain entry to the house. During the crime, it appeared the suspect was communicating with a second accomplice by cell phone. Detectives believe the second accomplice was the male who was detained by officers in the area. It is believed that the suspects are from out of town. It is unknown at this time why the suspects were in Sacramento and why they chose the victim’s residence as their target.

Per department policy, the five officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave. Their tenure with the department extends from one to 11 years.

The Sacramento Police Department is working on this investigation in conjunction with the city’s Office of Public Safety Accountability and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.

The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information pertaining to this crime to contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP or text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.