[UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: HCSO Statement] Two Hospitalized Following Shootings in Cutten Today

This morning, two people were hospitalized following two shootings which were connected to each other on Fern Street in Cutten on the outskirts of Eureka, according to Humboldt County Sheriff Billy Honsal.

The incident began at 10:31 a.m. when the the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call about a gunshot victim in the 2400 block of Fern Street. Deputies arrived at the scene by approximately 10:38 a.m., according to Honsal.

As they were responding, deputies were informed that a male suspect had shot a 75-year-old woman and fled on foot toward Walnut Street.  “Our deputies arrived on scene at approximately 10:38 and saw a male subject matching description in the middle of Fern Street,” Honsal explained. “The deputies exited their patrol vehicle, ordered the guy to stop. He then fled into another residence in the 2400 block on Fern Street.”

Deputies quickly set up a perimeter around the residence. “A short time later, the subject exited the residence and held a firearm to our deputy sheriffs.”,” Honsal said. “This led to an officer-involved shooting. “Immediate life-saving measures were taken, and emergency medical personnel were called to the scene,” he added.

No other individuals were found in the residence. Emergency services treated both the elderly female victim and the male suspect. Both were transported to a local hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known.

The deputies involved in the shooting have been debriefed off-site as part of the critical incident response, involving the sheriff’s office investigative team, the attorney’s office, and other county investigators. “Deputies were wearing body cameras, which recorded the incident. We will be reviewing the footage,” Honsal stated.

He mentioned that the 2400 block of Fern Street would remain closed for several hours for evidence collection and interviews. As of 3 p.m., Caltrans QuickMap shows slowing in the area.

He promised a swift investigation, with more information expected to be released in the next couple of days.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department:

On April 25, 2024, at approximately 10:31 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a person had been shot in the 2400 block of Fern Street, Eureka. Deputies were immediately dispatched to the area. While deputies were enroute, it was learned that a White Male Adult walked up to a 75-year-old woman who was standing in front of her garage with her sister and shot at her multiple times. The woman was struck by gunfire, and the suspect fled on foot westbound on Fern toward Walnut Avenue.

Deputies arrived on the scene at approximately 10:38 a.m. and saw a subject matching the description of the suspect walking on Fern. Two deputies exited the patrol vehicle and contacted the suspect at gunpoint. The suspect refused commands and fled into a residence across the street from the location where the victim was shot. An additional deputy arrived on the scene, and the three deputies surrounded the residence while additional units responded to the scene. At approximately 10:40 a.m., the suspect exited the residence and walked toward the deputies’ location, pointing a firearm in the direction of the deputies. The suspect refused commands, and one deputy shot the suspect. The suspect dropped the firearm and fell to the ground. Deputies secured the suspect in handcuffs, and emergency medical assistance was called to the scene. A hasty search was conducted inside the residence to ensure there were no other victims or suspects inside. The deputies then rendered medical aid to the suspect by packing his wounds and performing CPR. Paramedics arrived on the scene and took over the medical care of the suspect and the 75-year-old female victim. Both were subsequently transported to an area hospital where they are receiving treatment for their injuries.

The County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) protocol was implemented to investigate the shooting. The Humboldt County District Attorney and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation with other county law enforcement investigators. After CIRT investigators collect all the evidence and conduct all the interviews, more information will be release regarding this incident.

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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Earlier: Shots Fired on Fern St in Eureka