While few details have been disclosed about the fatal shooting March 2 by Chico police of 43-year-old Michael Oxley, quite a lot is known about two SWAT team sergeants who fired their assault rifles.
The sergeants, Alex Fliehr and Nick Bauer, were each involved in a previous fatal shooting incident, while Fliehr’s unorthodox use of a taser in yet another case led to a civil rights trial in federal court.
Police say Oxley was killed after four SWAT team members returned his fire. In addition to Fliehr and Bauer, officers Tyler Hernandez and Gabe Durney shot at Oxley, said Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge.
The police were attempting to arrest Oxley for allegedly shooting George Ramirez III, 43, a well-known downtown barber. Ramirez was shot in the neck, head and shoulder after getting into his car in a downtown parking lot about 6 p.m. Feb. 28. Ramirez was soon after air-lifted in critical condition to an out-of-area hospital, but is “making an amazing recovery and talking about returning to work in a few weeks,” said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.