RIO LINDA – A tense standoff culminated in the arrest of a carjacking suspect in Rio Linda on Wednesday, following an extensive negotiation period by Sacramento County sheriff’s SWAT deputies. The incident, which lasted over three hours, began when deputies, responding to an unrelated trespassing call around 11 a.m. on the 6800 block of 18th Street, witnessed a carjacking in progress, according to Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Sgt. Amar Gandhi.
The situation rapidly escalated when the suspect reportedly drove the stolen vehicle in the direction of the officers, prompting one deputy to discharge a firearm. It remains unconfirmed whether the gunfire struck the suspect. This led to a short, high-speed chase from 18th Street to westbound Q Street to southbound Dry Creek Road, making a left on Elkhorn Blvd. back to 18th Street, where the suspect crashed the vehicle and subsequently fled into a nearby residence, forcibly evicting the occupant in the process.
The identity of the suspect and the exact circumstances prompting the deputy to use his service weapon have not been disclosed.
Fortunately, the resident was unharmed during the incident. SWAT deputies maintained a presence at the scene into the afternoon, engaging in efforts to communicate with the barricaded suspect. The standoff concluded around 3:15 p.m. with the suspect’s arrest, which involved minor injuries sustained from a bite by Sheriff K-9 officer “Dax.”
During the standoff, a command post was established at the Calvary Baptist Church on 16th Street, across from the River Valley Feed Store. Officers had Elkhorn Blvd. closed between 16th and 20th into the evening, shifting a high volume of traffic onto Q Street. 18th Street was also closed into the evening between Elkhorn and Q Street.
The Sheriff’s Office has not reported any further injuries related to the encounter. The suspect’s identity has not been released as of Thursday morning.
