Police looking for shooter after late night gunfire outside Santa Rosa market

Knives followed by gunfire occurred late Wednesday after two men argued outside a West Ninth Street market in Santa Rosa, police said.

A bullet hit an outside wall but no one was stabbed or shot during the confrontation between apparent strangers, Santa Rosa police officials said. The unknown gunman fled in a white SUV.

Police said a reward of up to $2,500 would be given through the Sonoma County Alliance “Take Back Our Community” program for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect.

The shooting was reported at 9:54 p.m. outside Harry’s Market on West Ninth Street west of North Dutton Avenue.

A transient man told police that he was outside the store when he got into an argument with a man he said he didn’t know, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Dan Hackett said. Both men pulled out knives during the quarrel, Hackett said.

One man left the market, only to return about 10 minutes later in a white SUV and exit holding a gun, Hackett said. Several people were outside the market at the time, and the gunman fired several shots aimed at the man he’d been fighting with earlier, according to police, but missed.

The man ran into the market, and the gunman left in the SUV.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic man between 25 and 30 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and wearing a blue sweatshirt.

Anyone with information about the case can call Santa Rosa police at 543-3600.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.