Suspect In Cloverdale Homicide Found Dead After Standoff With Sonoma Deputies

"The incident began with a report of a shooting at 4:47 pm Saturday on the 300 block of Cloverdale Heights Way. Officers with Cloverdale Police arrived at the scene along with Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies, and they found a victim there suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene."

""Additional investigative leads revealed that Cassidy had been driven from Healdsburg to a residence in the 1500 block of Brush Creek Road in Santa Rosa," the sheriff's office said. Around 1:26 am Sunday, November 23, the Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiations Team, and Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit were deployed to the scene. A three-hour standoff then ensued in which multiple rounds were reportedly shot from the residents at officers. A SWAT armored vehicle may have been struck by gunfire."

"A three-hour standoff then ensued in which multiple rounds were reportedly shot from the residents at officers. A SWAT armored vehicle may have been struck by gunfire. Chemical agents were deployed into the home, and hostage negotiators reportedly tried to contact Cassidy both by telephone and by loudspeaker, but they had no response. Sometime around 4:30 am, a drone and bomb-disposal robot were deployed into the home, and Cassidy was reportedly found deceased."

Authorities responded to a shooting at 4:47 pm Saturday on Cloverdale Heights Way and found a victim with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead. Witness statements identified 56-year-old Lawrence Cassidy as a suspect and linked him to a white Ford SUV found in Healdsburg. Investigators learned Cassidy had been driven to a Santa Rosa residence on Brush Creek Road. Around 1:26 am Sunday, SWAT, hostage negotiators, and an explosives unit conducted a three-hour standoff during which shots were fired at officers and chemical agents were used. A drone and bomb-disposal robot entered the home and Cassidy was found deceased. Petaluma police and the Sonoma County district attorney will lead an independent investigation.

Read at sfist.com