by Dave Waddell
For the second time in four months, a man has been shot dead by Chico police.
An officer fired his weapon at the unidentified white man inside Mid Valley Title and Escrow in the 600 block of Main Street in downtown Chico shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
According to Chico police Lt. Billy Aldridge, a man had wounded two police officers and a private security guard with an undisclosed weapon. The officers were treated and released at Enloe Medical Center, while the guard received a “significant” wound.
In the Police Department’s initial statement released this morning, the names of the man killed, the security guard and the officers involved were not divulged. Aldridge said that an investigation of the incident that was started by Chico PD had been turned over to the Butte County Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Team headed up by District Attorney Mike Ramsey.
Just prior to the July 23 police shooting, a guard for AG Security had been stabbed by a man he encountered outside Mid Valley Title and whom he then shot at, according to Aldridge.
A CPD press release says AG Security responded to an alarm at Mid Valley Title. The security guard “located a subject outside the business and made contact with him.” The police statement says the man “became violent and stabbed (the guard) in the arm” and then the guard fired his handgun at the man. Both fled and the guard contacted police.
When police arrived, they entered the business through a window that had been broken, finding “a violent, white-male adult” inside in a restroom.
“A dialogue was established with the subject in an attempt to de-escalate the situation,” says Chico PD’s statement. “The dialogue was unsuccessful and ultimately led to the subject slashing two officers in the neck and face, causing injuries to both. One Chico police officer discharged his duty weapon, striking the subject. Officers immediately removed the subject from the bathroom to a spot where awaiting medical personnel could attend to his injuries,” but he “succumbed to his wounds.”
The police statement did not specify how many shots were fired.
Desmond Phillips, a 25-year-old mentally ill black man, was shot 11 times by two Chico police officers March 17, just 19 minutes after medical aid was first called to help him. David Phillips, Desmond’s father, said police did not use any de-escalation measures with Desmond.
Chico police wore no body cameras at the time of the Phillips killing; however, Police Chief Mike O’Brien announced that all uniformed patrol officers began wearing cameras April 1 in this ChicoSol exclusive .
(Read ChicoSol’s latest in a series of stories on the Phillips killing here .)
Dave Waddell is news editor at ChicoSol.
This was a break- in burglary and multiple assault situation. Why bring Desmond Phillip’s name into the case at all. You sound the President covering his tracks by throwing Obama’s or Clinton’s name into every question of his integrity. If you’re unhappy with the job the police do sign up at the academy and show them how it should be done. If you can’t step up to that the next time you or your family is violated by some dirtbag call your mail person or your garbage company for help.