Monte Rio Fatal Shooting Victim Identified As Suspect's Elderly Father
MONTE RIO, Sonoma County (CBS SF) -- An elderly man shot dead in Monte Rio was identified as the suspected gunman's father, the sheriff's office said Wednesday.
Rufino Gonzalez, 72, died Tuesday morning after being shot with a rifle. The shooting prompted a suspect manhunt that ended with the arrest of suspect Francisco Gonzalez, 32, the victim's son.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, dispatchers received calls reporting a shooting and a man with a long gun in the area of Alder Road and Willow Road just south of the Russian River.
Deputies responded and found the elder Gonzalez suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He died at the scene despite life-saving efforts by deputies and medics.
Francisco Gonzalez, described as a transient, fled before deputies arrived. After hearing more gunshots a shelter-in-place was ordered for the area east of Bohemian Highway and south and east of the river.
Several surrounding law enforcement agencies participated in a search for the suspect, with resources including a SWAT team, hostage negotiators, drones, and a CHP helicopter. At around 4:00 p.m., a resident who had seen the suspect's photo in a sheriff's community alert called the sheriff's office after seeing him near Graton.
Deputies arrested Gonzalez without incident on Green Valley Road near Green Valley School Road, approximately eight miles from the crime scene. He was booked on charges of murder, committing a felony with a gun, and gun violations. He's being held without bail.
