Saturday, November 26, 2011

Petaluma, CA: Petaluma Man Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting Thanksgiving Day

Shot by police after he threatened officers with gun, according to Sebastopol police


A 25-year-old Petaluma man was shot by a Sebastopol police officer Thursday after police received a call from the man's ex-girlfriend that he was pounding on the back door of her home.

Pablo Perez Ramirez was shot three times and killed around noon Thursday at an apartment complex in the 7000 block of Fellers Lane in Sebastopol. The first officer to arrive on the scene was Officer Dennis Colthurst, a 31-year veteran with the Sebastopol Police Department, who found Ramirez at the top of a staircase of the apartment.

Colthurst ordered the suspect down the stairs, but Perez allegedly became uncooperative after climbing part of the way down, and then brandished a handgun at the officer, according to police.

Colthurst then fired three shots at Perez, who fell at the top of the stairs. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene, and police found a loaded revolver near his body.

Following county protocol for such incidents, the Santa Rosa police and the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office will be investigating the shooting.

Santa Rosa police said Ramirez has a criminal history including convictions for carrying a loaded firearm in 2005 and for driving under the influence in 2007, as well as an arrest for resisting a peace officer in 2008. He has been released into the custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement three times, in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3590.

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