The parks in our community seem to be getting more dangerous, and in this case, it appears good that the police were called when they were, by the dead man’s (a parolee) mother.
It is tragic when someone dies as there is often a back story belying the apparent facts.
An excerpt.
Deputy kills man at Fair Oaks Park
By Kim Minugh -- Bee Staff Writer Published 12:01 am PDT Friday, August 25, 2006
A 33-year-old man was fatally shot at Fair Oaks Park on Thursday morning by a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy who authorities said was threatened and feared for his life.
Michael Douglas Riley, of Elk Grove, died shortly after being transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said.
Curran did not identify the deputy involved but said he is a 10-year veteran of the department and a Problem-Oriented-Policing officer stationed at the sheriff's Fair Oaks community center.
Deputies were called to the park by Riley's mother, who had called 911 at about 10:15 a.m.
saying her son -- a parolee -- was acting "crazy." In the emergency call, she said Riley had mentioned suicide-by-cop, Curran said. She also told authorities she "thought" she had earlier wrestled a knife from her son, he said.
When two deputies arrived at the park, Riley ran and was chased by one of the deputies. He then turned and began "rapidly walking" toward the deputy with his arm raised, holding what the deputy believed was a weapon, Curran said.
The deputy drew his gun and ordered Riley to stop, but he kept advancing, Curran said. Fearing for his life, the deputy fired multiple shots at the man. He was hit an unknown number of times, Curran said.
Riley fell in the park's parking lot, south of the Fair Oaks Library.
Curran said a weapon later was recovered from the scene but declined to identify it.
Many people were at the park when the shooting occurred, but Curran said nobody was in danger.
