Officers were approaching a parked car that they believed contained a man suspected of brandishing a firearm early this morning, when a 26-year-old man exited the vehicle and allegedly fired at least two shots at them, hitting a Humboldt State University officer in the leg and prompting the officers to return fire, fatally wounding the suspect.
According to an updated press release, at least 11 shots were fired in the exchange, which occurred on Arcata’s bustling bar row at about 1:40 a.m. According to witness accounts, the street was packed with people.
Arcata went more than 30 years without an officer involved shooting, but this incident is the second in 16 months.
The release states that the officers — one from APD and one from UPD — responded to a call reporting a fight but found no fight in progress when they arrived. But they said a witness pointed them to a parked car, saying they believed it to be associated with a man who had been involved in the fight and brandished a firearm. When officers approached the blue Ford F150, the shootout began, according to the release.
Witnesses interviewed by the Journal this morning said the fight began with a verbal altercation between a man and a woman out in front of the bars. The situation escalated when the man walked over the hood of the woman’s car, prompting her to yell at him. At that point, the witnesses said, one of the man’s friend’s intervened, pulling a handgun and threatening the woman and her friends.
One witness said he watched from nearby as an officer approached the Ford truck only to be met with gunfire.
According to APD’s press release, the deceased suspect is from Antioch, Tennessee, and one witness indicated he had been in town visiting a friend. Witnesses interviewed by the Journal corroborated APD’s claim that the suspect opened fire first and officers returned fire in self defense.
APD is currently withholding the name of the suspect, pending notification of his family, and the officers involved, both of whom have been placed on administrative leave. The UPD officer was treated and released at a local hospital after the shooting.
APD Chief Tom Chapman initially said he did not believe the incident was captured on any police video equipment — patrol car mounted cameras or body cameras — but he later corrected that, telling the Journal that part of it was caught on a responding officer’s patrol car camera. He also didn’t rule out the possibility that the incident was recorded by onlookers.
See the full press release from APD copied below and see our earlier report here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2ND UPDATE – POLICE OFFICER SHOT
On September 9, 2017, at about 1:25 a.m., the Arcata Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting a group of males physically fighting in the street near 9th and H Streets. Officers from Arcata Police and University Police Departments arrived on-scene at 1:27 a.m. When the officers arrived they did not see anyone involved in a fight. While they were in the area investigating, a bystander reported to an officer that one of the people involved in the fight had brandished a handgun. The bystander pointed out a vehicle with which they believed the person to be associated.
As the Arcata and University police officers contacted the occupants of the vehicle to investigate, a 26-year-old black male adult from Antioch, Tennessee got out of the rear passenger seat pointing a handgun at the police officers.
Initial reports indicate the man fired at least two shots at the police officers, one of which struck the University police officer. Both officers returned fire, hitting the man several times. Officers fired approximately nine shots in total. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
The man, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of family, was pronounced dead at the Mad River Community Hospital. It is anticipated that his identity will be released Sunday.
The University police officer who was shot was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released late today. His injuries, while serious, are not life threatening. The officer has 12 years of law enforcement experience, the last two years with University Police. The Arcata police officer was not physically injured. He is a five-year veteran of Arcata Police Department. As is normal protocol in officer involved shooting cases, both officers have been placed on administrative leave.
This investigation is being led by the Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). CIRT is a multi-agency team comprised of local law enforcement agencies that train and respond to officer involved injuries and deaths. In the case of incidents where an officer is involved in a shooting it is the best practice for outside agencies to conduct the investigation.
The Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team for this investigation includes the Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County District Attorney Investigators, Fortuna Police Department, California Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice Crime Laboratory. The results of the CIRT team investigation will be forwarded to the Humboldt County District Attorney for review.
Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to call the Arcata Police Department, (707) 822-2426.
Editor’s note: This post was updated from a previous version after APD Chief Tom Chapman contacted the Journal to correct his earlier comments regarding video footage of the incident.
This article appears in ‘The Hollow Men’.
No video? The PLAZA CAMS, everybody! There is one right across the street facing exactly where this happened. There is another at the Jacoby’s Storehouse too.
It’s 2017 and still no body cams?
Good point, though Chapman was just referring to police videos… Also not sure how much the plaza cams capture in the dark but it’s certainly worth checking.
The story going around about Ervin Sweats, Jr. being killed by police on the Plaza must be questioned. Don’t believe the police after they shoot and kill someone! Don’t buy Thadeus Greenson’s criminalizing description (of the dead person) that will never change, even if proven inaccurate.
Arcata police always have audio recorders. Where are their audio recordings from that night? I only mention this because it hasn’t been mentioned here. The problem is: the Arcata police have control over the what happens to the recordings; the lawyers for the APD e.g., the wretched Nancy Delaney, have no problem DESTROYING evidence so no one else sees/hears it (see Ashbaucher et al vs. City of Arcata); and there are no defense attorneys for Ervin, because he is not alive to defend himself from the accusations against him, demanding the audio be preserved and made open to scrutiny.
Question the police narrative EVERY TIME.
Any time someone is murdered, you should question the story the killers give to justify it.
Especially when 1) their institution (here, the U.S. police) kills up to 3 people a day, EVERY DAY, 2) a black person is killed by police every 36 hours, 3) killer cops always criminalize the dead/murdered person who cannot speak or defend themselves from postmortem attack, and 4) even with video and audio showing murder by police, the in-justice system allows cops who kill and murder, who are unstable and violent, to walk free, and often, to keep their jobs carrying firearms, other weapons, and their badge of state power, manipulation, and intimidation.
Why are so many people in Humboldt ignorant as to the institutional racism and violence that pervades all police forces, yes, even Arcata cops. Arcata cops have an extra emphasized characteristic and habit – HEAVY PARANOIA OF BLACK PEOPLE AND A HABIT OF TELLING PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG TO “GET DOWN.”
This is the second young black person to be killed in Arcata in less than 6 months. The Arcata police made it impossible for David Josiah Lawson to be brought to the hospital and be medically treated for the brutal stabbing he received at a party. The APD also completely botched the investigation and did little to nothing to preserve the crime scene or witness statements, and allowed the main suspects to drive away without questioning. Now, the Arcata police have shot (unloading a whole clip?) and murdered Ervin Eugene Sweat Jr., a 26 year old black man. People in this area DON’T EVEN HEAR about Ervin because the media wants to focus on a cop who was shot in the leg, suffering no fatal injuries. On the other hand, the media makes little mention of and shows NO RESPECT for Ervin, who is DEAD and forever silenced due to Arcata police firing on him. The media only uses criminalizing words like “suspect killed” “had warrants.” Come on folks, this is what police (and complicit media) do EVERY TIME. Cops are not really brave. They shoot quick, say they were afraid for their lives, and talk a bunch of shit about the victim after they murder them.
Ever heard of friendly fire? That’s a term created by the GOVERNMENT for when they shoot one of their own (military or police). Police and governments hate to admit “friendly fire” so they blame someone else (learn about the MOVE 9). Here, did the cop get shot by one of his co-officers while he was trying to blow away a Ervin, a black man? The Arcata police and other agencies, under the same REMIF insurance and the same “blue wall of silence,” are the investigators, so we will never even hear the question posed about friendly fire with regard to the officer’s non-fatal injury.
What we DO KNOW is that a 26 year old person, Ervin Eugene Sweat Jr., is dead. Life stolen by police. RIP Ervin Eugene Sweat, Jr. Respect and sweetness to you and your ancestors.
Thadeus, Your first paragraph is despicable and irresponsible journalism. You write the police narrative as if it is FACT. That is irresponsible.