California Sheriff's Deputy Killed in Shooting

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, California -- A Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy was killed and another was injured by gunfire from a suspect outside the Pep Boys auto parts store Monday in Rancho Cordova, Sheriff Scott Jones said.

Deputy Mark Stasyuk, 27, died Monday afternoon after being shot in the upper body, Jones said near the crime scene about three hours after the shooting. Stasyuk was a 4 1/2-year veteran of the department.

Deputy Julie Robertson, 28, was shot in the arm, Jones said. Robertson, a 2 1/2-year veteran, is expected to fully recover from her injuries.

The two deputies were responding to a call from store employees about a disturbance, Jones said. They did not know the suspect was armed and were fired upon immediately.

“They were arriving at what we would consider a routine call of a business owner having a conflict with a customer,” Jones said.

The suspect then fled and was shot by two other responding deputies who issued commands for him to stop, Jones said. The suspect, who has not been identified, is in custody and was transported to the UC Davis Medical Center.

He was alert and talking to officers when taken into custody, Jones said.

The initial shooting happened before 2 p.m. in the area of Folsom Boulevard and Olson Drive at a Pep Boys Auto Parts store, based on audio obtained through Broadcastify. At about 1:50 p.m., dispatchers received reports that shots were fired at the store on Folsom Boulevard.

About a minute later on the dispatch audio, a deputy reports that the suspect is headed westbound. A male deputy seconds later reports the suspect has been apprehended at the parking lot of the nearby Furniture Mattress Outlet. “OK, we’ve got the suspect down. We’ve got him at gunpoint,” the unidentified deputy said.

“He’s lying face down on the ground,” a male deputy told the dispatcher. “His gun is lying north of him about 25 feet from his location.”

A female deputy, presumably Robertson, can then be heard reporting that her partner has been shot and is down, and that she has been shot as well. “You are hit in the arm and your partner is down?” confirms the dispatcher.

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During the incident, a bystander was shot in the back and is believed to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Jones said.

Jones said only one suspect was in custody as of Monday afternoon.

The shooting came on the eve of the CopsWest Training and Expo expected to draw more than 1,000 law enforcement officers to the Sacramento Convention Center. Black Lives Matter was organizing a Tuesday protest and slate of speakers to demonstrate against fatal police shootings of African Americans – most notably Stephon Clark, an unarmed man killed in Meadowview exactly six months earlier as officers responded to reports of someone breaking car windows.

Jones suggested that residents grieving over Stanyuk’s death should head to the convention center to support cops.

“We have a planned protest tomorrow at a statewide law enforcement conference down in Sacramento,” Jones said. “I know people have this overwhelming urge to do what they can ... One of the things you can do is go down there. Go down to the convention center tomorrow between 11 and 1 and show your support for law enforcement.”

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District spokesman Capt. Chris Vestal said four people were transported to the hospital and a fifth person declined medical transport.

This is a developing story. Check in with sacbee.com for the latest or sign up for breaking news alerts.

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