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Man killed in Petaluma police shooting identified
A 72-year-old man shot to death by five Petaluma police officers Saturday was identified Monday as James Anthony Decosta, a former resident of Sacramento wanted on a $100,000 warrant charging him with molesting a child under the age of 14.
PETALUMA
Man killed in police shooting identified
- Jim Doyle
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
A 72-year-old man shot to death by five Petaluma police officers Saturday was identified Monday as James Anthony Decosta, a former resident of Sacramento wanted on a $100,000 warrant charging him with molesting a child under the age of 14.
Sgt. Gary Negri of the Santa Rosa Police Department, which is helping investigate the case, said Decosta had been shot after a brief car chase that started at 5 p.m. when authorities tried to take him into custody on the warrant.
Negri said the suspect had stopped his vehicle and gotten out. "He was holding a handgun and brandished it toward the officers," who opened fire, Negri said.
All five officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
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URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/04/BAGN7F11361.DTL
Man killed in police shooting identified
- Jim Doyle
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
A 72-year-old man shot to death by five Petaluma police officers Saturday was identified Monday as James Anthony Decosta, a former resident of Sacramento wanted on a $100,000 warrant charging him with molesting a child under the age of 14.
Sgt. Gary Negri of the Santa Rosa Police Department, which is helping investigate the case, said Decosta had been shot after a brief car chase that started at 5 p.m. when authorities tried to take him into custody on the warrant.
Negri said the suspect had stopped his vehicle and gotten out. "He was holding a handgun and brandished it toward the officers," who opened fire, Negri said.
All five officers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Page B - 2
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/04/BAGN7F11361.DTL
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5 officers placed on leave after death
- Simone Sebastian
Monday, October 3, 2005
Five Petaluma police officers were placed on paid administrative leave after shooting and killing a man after a pursuit Saturday evening, according to investigators.
The Santa Rosa Police Department is heading an investigation into the shooting to reduce any appearance of peer bias, said Santa Rosa Sgt. Gary Negri.
Investigators are withholding the man's identity until his family has been notified. He was wanted on a $100,000 felony arrest warrant for child molestation in Sacramento County.
Petaluma detectives identified the man's car at a local athletic club and called for additional officers, according to Santa Rosa police. The man led the nine officers on a short pursuit then stepped out of his car with a gun pointed toward them, investigators said.
Five police officers fired their guns at him, but it is not clear how many times he was hit, Negri said. The five officers are Rick Cox, Dan Miller, Mike Pierre, Garrett Glaviano and John Lipanovich. Negri said the investigation could take a month or longer.
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URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/03/BABADIGEST3.DTL