Police in Sacramento, California have announced the death of one of their own. Officer Tara O’Sullivan, 26, was shot and killed Wednesday while responding to a domestic incident, cops said.
“She gave her young life while protecting our community,” Police Chief Dave Peletta said in a press conference Thursday. She joined the force in January 2018 as a community service officer, entered the police academy the following July, and graduated in December.
It is with a broken heart that we have to share with all of you that earlier today we lost one of our own. While on a call for service in North Sacramento, Officer Tara O’Sullivan was shot and killed. She gave her young life while protecting our community pic.twitter.com/MXr7C4M5qJ
— Sacramento Police (@SacPolice) June 20, 2019
According to cops, officers got a call late Wednesday morning (around 11:43 a.m.) regarding a domestic disturbance involving a man and a woman. Jump to 5:41 p.m. Police were at the scene on standby while the woman got her things from the home. Things took a violent turn. Officers said there were shots fired. One of them–O’Sullivan–was shot.
The suspect kept firing, so authorities said they had to save Sullivan using an armored vehicle. Meanwhile, the standoff lasted for hours, with the suspect occasionally opening fire. Officers shot back. Police claim the man only gave up early Thursday, at around 1:54 a.m.. He was taken safely into custody. His name has not been announced.
O’Sullivan passed away at the hospital, cops said. The investigation is ongoing. According to authorities, they identified five cops–officers with between three and five years of experience–as having fired their weapons during the incident. They are on paid administrative leave, under department policy.
“To Tara’s parents and family, and Tara’s fellow officers, I am so sorry,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg in a statement. “As a father I am grieving with you. As Mayor of the city she swore to protect, our city is heartbroken and we are here for you every step of the way.”
[Screengrab KPIX]
