An investigation has been completed by the District Attorney’s Office into a deadly confrontation between Shasta County Sheriff’s Deputies and a man having a mental health crisis. On New Year’s Day last year Bob Littlefield called 9-1-1 and said his son, 52-year-old William Littlefield, was in the midst of a psychotic episode due to Schizophrenia. The Hill Country Mobile Crisis Unit responded to the home on Bob’s Mountain Road and determined that an involuntary commitment was not necessary. A couple of hours later, Bob called again and said William had taken some unidentified pills and his condition had gotten worse. He was told to take William to the hospital or request an ambulance. A short time after that Bob called a third time to say William was threatening suicide and cutting his wrists with a knife. Several deputies arrived and William apparently advanced toward them with the knife. When he wouldn’t stop a deputy used a Taser but Billiam kept coming, reportedly yelling “I’m going to kill you!”. Sergeant Trever Gusaas and Deputy Zach Jurkiewicz both fired their guns, inflicting fatal injuries. The District Attorney’s Office has ruled the deputies’ actions to be justified.
-Steve Gibson