Man reached for rifle as deputies kept shooting

<p>Even as Craig Von Dohlen was on the ground, mortally wounded by gunfire from Sonoma County sheriff's deputies, he continued to reach for his loaded .22-caliber rifle, prompting deputies to continue firing, investigators said Thursday.</p><p>They also said Von Dohlen's father, John, was not allowed to go to his 37-year-old son and was, instead, handcuffed and put into a patrol car because he continued to curse deputies and refused to comply with their orders to let them secure the shooting scene.</p><p>Those are some of the new details of Craig Von Dohlen's fatal shooting in Sonoma last Saturday that were released Thursday by the Santa Rosa Police Department, which is investigating the case.</p><p>Some of the information sheds more light on how Craig Von Dohlen threatened first to kill his father and then sheriff's deputies, and addresses some criticism of the Sheriff's Department since the fatal shooting.</p><p>Von Dohlen was shot 10 times at the Napa Road home he shared with his parents, the fatal shot being a bullet that penetrated his head, according to the Sonoma County Coroner's Office.</p><p>Police on Thursday identified the deputies involved in the shooting as Kevin Mullnix, a 27-year veteran; Ron Hansen, a 23-year veteran; Elena Transue, who has been with the department 11 months; and Fletcher Skerritt, who has been with the department for two years.</p><p>They all have been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in officer-involved shootings.</p><p>The Sheriff's Department declined to release audio tapes or complete transcripts of the 911 call placed by Von Dohlen's father, saying the communication is part of the investigation and would be upsetting to Von Dohlen's family.</p><p>"We have to protect the investigation, the dignity of the people involved and the county's bottom line," said Capt. Dave Edmonds, the department's spokesman. "It's not edifying to release the horrific graphicness of these tapes in audio format. It adds to the sensationalizing of it that we don't think is appropriate."</p><p>Edmonds said Santa Rosa police likely will release transcripts of the call once the investigation is completed.</p><p>Some transcribed excerpts were released Saturday by the Sheriff's Department, and a few additional excerpts released by police Thursday show John Von Dohlen called 911 at 12:14 p.m. and reported his son was in the yard with a loaded rifle and was high on drugs.</p><p>Craig Von Dohlen can be heard on the tapes threatening to "kill a cop" and to kill his father, according to the transcript. Several minutes later, he reportedly said he didn't want to kill himself; instead, he wanted someone else to kill him, according to the excerpts.</p><p>Investigators say Von Dohlen charged at the arriving deputies, aiming his rifle at them, and broke free of his father's attempts to restrain him, according to investigators.</p><p>"The deputies fired several times without immediate effect," according to the report released Thursday by Santa Rosa investigators. "Craig Von Dohlen dropped the rifle and fell to the ground. He continued to attempt to reach for the rifle, which was still within his reach. The deputies continued to fire to prevent him from reaching the weapon."</p><p>John Von Dohlen has acknowledged that in the shooting's aftermath, he was grief-stricken and questioning deputies about the barrage of gunfire. He said he was then threatened by a deputy, who twisted his arm behind his back, handcuffed him and locked him in a squad car.</p><p>Santa Rosa police said Thursday the 66-year-old father was swearing and had to be prevented from going to his son so deputies could secure the area and the rifle and allow paramedics to perform emergency medical aid.</p><p>"The deputies attempted to talk with John Von Dohlen and asked him several times to clear the area and allow the deputies to secure the shooting scene," the police report says. "John Von Dohlen continued swearing at the deputies and refusing to comply with their requests. He was uncooperative and distraught."</p><p>Police said Craig Von Dohlen was put into an ambulance and taken to Napa Road and Fifth Street to be transferred to a medical helicopter. But within a few minutes, officials decided the ambulance would take Von Dohlen to Sonoma Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.</p><p>Before the shooting, dispatchers reportedly overheard Craig Von Dohlen say he wouldn't "go back to prison," but police said Thursday there are no records he had been to prison.</p><p>Investigators said Von Dohlen was not on parole or probation and did not have outstanding warrants. He did have a prior arrest in Sonoma County on a misdemeanor drug charge, according to court records.</p><p>The Coroner's Office said it will be several weeks before toxicology test results are available.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer</p><p>Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.com and Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.com</p><p>Even as Craig Von Dohlen was on the ground, mortally wounded by gunfire from Sonoma County sheriff's deputies, he continued to reach for his loaded .22-caliber rifle, prompting deputies to continue firing, investigators said Thursday.</p><p>They also said Von Dohlen's father, John, was not allowed to go to his 37-year-old son and was, instead, handcuffed and put into a patrol car because he continued to curse deputies and refused to comply with their orders to let them secure the shooting scene.</p><p>Those are some of the new details of Craig Von Dohlen's fatal shooting in Sonoma last Saturday that were released Thursday by the Santa Rosa Police Department, which is investigating the case.</p><p>Some of the information sheds more light on how Craig Von Dohlen threatened first to kill his father and then sheriff's deputies, and addresses some criticism of the Sheriff's Department since the fatal shooting.</p><p>Von Dohlen was shot 10 times at the Napa Road home he shared with his parents, the fatal shot being a bullet that penetrated his head, according to the Sonoma County Coroner's Office.</p><p>Police on Thursday identified the deputies involved in the shooting as Kevin Mullnix, a 27-year veteran; Ron Hansen, a 23-year veteran; Elena Transue, who has been with the department 11 months; and Fletcher Skerritt, who has been with the department for two years.</p><p>They all have been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in officer-involved shootings.</p><p>The Sheriff's Department declined to release audio tapes or complete transcripts of the 911 call placed by Von Dohlen's father, saying the communication is part of the investigation and would be upsetting to Von Dohlen's family.</p><p>"We have to protect the investigation, the dignity of the people involved and the county's bottom line," said Capt. Dave Edmonds, the department's spokesman. "It's not edifying to release the horrific graphicness of these tapes in audio format. It adds to the sensationalizing of it that we don't think is appropriate."</p><p>Edmonds said Santa Rosa police likely will release transcripts of the call once the investigation is completed.</p><p>Some transcribed excerpts were released Saturday by the Sheriff's Department, and a few additional excerpts released by police Thursday show John Von Dohlen called 911 at 12:14 p.m. and reported his son was in the yard with a loaded rifle and was high on drugs.</p><p>Craig Von Dohlen can be heard on the tapes threatening to "kill a cop" and to kill his father, according to the transcript. Several minutes later, he reportedly said he didn't want to kill himself; instead, he wanted someone else to kill him, according to the excerpts.</p><p>Investigators say Von Dohlen charged at the arriving deputies, aiming his rifle at them, and broke free of his father's attempts to restrain him, according to investigators.</p><p>"The deputies fired several times without immediate effect," according to the report released Thursday by Santa Rosa investigators. "Craig Von Dohlen dropped the rifle and fell to the ground. He continued to attempt to reach for the rifle, which was still within his reach. The deputies continued to fire to prevent him from reaching the weapon."</p><p>John Von Dohlen has acknowledged that in the shooting's aftermath, he was grief-stricken and questioning deputies about the barrage of gunfire. He said he was then threatened by a deputy, who twisted his arm behind his back, handcuffed him and locked him in a squad car.</p><p>Santa Rosa police said Thursday the 66-year-old father was swearing and had to be prevented from going to his son so deputies could secure the area and the rifle and allow paramedics to perform emergency medical aid.</p><p>"The deputies attempted to talk with John Von Dohlen and asked him several times to clear the area and allow the deputies to secure the shooting scene," the police report says. "John Von Dohlen continued swearing at the deputies and refusing to comply with their requests. He was uncooperative and distraught."</p><p>Police said Craig Von Dohlen was put into an ambulance and taken to Napa Road and Fifth Street to be transferred to a medical helicopter. But within a few minutes, officials decided the ambulance would take Von Dohlen to Sonoma Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.</p><p>Before the shooting, dispatchers reportedly overheard Craig Von Dohlen say he wouldn't "go back to prison," but police said Thursday there are no records he had been to prison.</p><p>Investigators said Von Dohlen was not on parole or probation and did not have outstanding warrants. He did have a prior arrest in Sonoma County on a misdemeanor drug charge, according to court records.</p><p>The Coroner's Office said it will be several weeks before toxicology test results are available.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer</p><p>Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.com and Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.com</p>