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Video Released Of Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting Of Tahoe Park Resident Who Shot At Authorities

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento Police Department released bodycam footage from an hours-long standoff at a Tahoe Park home that ended with officers shooting and killing the suspect when he walked out with a rifle.

The scene was along the 3700 block of Redding Avenue, close to Hiram Johnson High School. Sacramento police say, around 8:15 p.m. on September 6, they went to do a welfare check in the area.

The footage released by the police department includes audio from a call requesting a welfare check on the man, later identified as 53-year-old Derek Pearson.

"Just have received some very strange messages and disturbing messages, so I was hoping someone could check on this person," the reporting party told authorities over the phone.

When officers arrived at Pearson's home, they contacted him through a front security door.

"No brother. Get out of here. You're not welcome here," Pearson tells the officer at the door.

Pearson adds, "My name is Derek Scott Pearson, and nobody is welcome at my house. You can put out a protection. There are people trying to kill me. Last time I was taken by the police, they tried to kill me. You are not welcome here. Please leave. Please leave and please protect me. They are trying to kill me."

Pearson then shut the inside door, ending the conversation. Just more than 30 seconds later, officers see Pearson through the front window, and state that he pointed a rifle at them.

Sacramento police said the officers backed off and called SWAT and Crisis Negotiation teams to the scene. Negotiators were able to make sporadic contact with Pearson throughout the night.

At the 4:03 mark of the video, you can hear Pearson fire a shot from his home. Police say the suspect fired at officers multiple times over the course of the incident. You can see the full video here. (WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised.)

No officers were hurt, but an occupied armored vehicle was struck by gunfire several times, and nearby Hiram Johnson High School was also struck by gunfire.

One of the weapons police say the suspect had with him. (Credit: Sacramento Police Department)

SWAT and crisis negotiators tried to de-escalate the situation.

"Derek, we would like for a peaceful resolution. We need you to come out of your house without any weapons in your hand. Your brother and sister are worried about you and your well-being," one officer can be heard saying over the armored vehicle's PA system.

However, just after 5 a.m. the next day—almost nine hours after the initial call, officers say the suspect walked out with a rifle, aiming it at officers. Three officers then opened fire, hitting the suspect at least once. At least one shot killed him.

Some neighbors were evacuated earlier in the night, and said it wasn't the first time cops had visited Pearson's home.

"It's a little scary - there hadn't been really anything else like this in the neighborhood - so it's a little unnerving," said Lauren, who lives close by.

Another neighbor, who didn't wish to be identified for safety reasons, said she felt officers exercised a lot of restraint.

"Here's somebody shooting at you for eight hours - and all you can do is keep calling in," the neighbor said.

Much of the neighborhood is still in the dark about who the man was. The deadly shooting left its mark on the Tahoe Park neighborhood.

"A lot of these other neighbors don't want to come out of their house," the anonymous neighbor said. "They're talking about selling their house, they're afraid."

A drone was used to check if the area was safe to enter and the suspect was soon found dead.

His body can be seen in the video just after the 7-minute mark.

Pearson was the only person in the house at the time, police noted, and several guns were found inside.

Hiram Johnson High School was closed on September 7 due to the incident, officials say.

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