SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) — An overnight shooting on Sunday has the Santa Rosa Police Department investigating the fifth homicide involving a firearm in the city this year, and a reward is being offered.
The SRPD was notified of a shooting near the 2300 block of Kenton Court at 1:33a.m. this morning. Once officers arrived on scene they located one victim with a single gunshot wound who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. Officers attempted to provide the victim with medical assistance and also called emergency medical personnel to the scene.
After the EMS crew arrived they also began caring for the patient, according to police. The victim died of his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
SRPD stated in a press release that detectives from the SRPD Violent Crime Team identified and interviewed witnesses in the area, and determined another vehicle had been nearby.
Witnesses state that an unknown vehicle approached the victim, and one or more occupants of the vehicle said something to the victim and his group of friends. After the exchange became heated one gunshot was then fired by the suspect and hit the victim. SRPD is still investigating the motive of the shooting.
The victim’s name will not be released by police until next of kin has been notified. Detectives are still in the process of obtaining descriptions of the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle.
According to SRPD this is the sixth homicide of 2022, and the fifth homicide that involved a firearm. SRPD states they are working to address the influx of illegal firearms on Santa Rosa streets. In 2021 SRPD seized 170 firearms which included 45 “ghost guns”. SRPD is also working with the Violence Prevention Partnership to engage the community in preventing gun violence.
Detectives are asking for the community’s help in investigating this incident. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact SRPD via their online Tip Line, or by reaching their Violent Crimes Team at (707)-543-3590. If you happen to live near the area where the shooting occurred, please check your home surveillance cameras for any videos of the suspect or the crime.
The Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund is also offering a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect(s) responsible.