Officer Shoots At Man Pointing Umbrella Mistaken For Gun: SRPD

SANTA ROSA, CA — A man pointing what was believed to be a gun people and cars Saturday in Santa Rosa was not injured when a police officer fired shots, only to later learn the "gun" was a black umbrella, a lieutenant with the Santa Rosa Police Department said in a news release.

The officer-involved shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. in the area of Guerneville Road and Fulton Road, SRPD Lt. Dan Marincik said.

Officers responded to the area after dispatchers received seven calls about a suspicious person.

"Several of the callers reported that the individual had a firearm and was pointing it at people and vehicles," Marincik said.

One of the officers located the man on Guerneville Road west of Fulton Road.

"The suspect was non-compliant and at one point brandished what the officer believed was a rifle," Marincik said. "The officer fired three rounds from his department-issued rifle."

The suspect ran westbound, prompting the same officer to run after him, Marincik said.

The brief foot chase ended when the officer tackled the suspect to the ground and took him into custody, Marincik said.

The rounds fired by the officer did not hit the suspect, and no one was seriously injured during the incident, according to SRPD.

"We later learned that the item the suspect had brandished was a black umbrella," Marincik said.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Joshua Oceguera, was taken to the Santa Rosa Police Department and then booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of making criminal threats, brandishing an imitation firearm in a threatening manner causing fear of bodily injury, and assault.

Oceguera remained in custody Monday in lieu of $30,000 bail pending a court appearance set for Tuesday afternoon.

The police officer, who was not identified, was placed on administrative leave; his name might be released later this week, Marincik said.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.