44-year-old Cloverdale man identified in officer-involved shooting

Police identified a 44-year-old Cloverdale man as the alleged prowler shot and killed by Cloverdale police early Saturday morning.

Victor Gonzalez Gonzalez was shot by two officers after he allegedly advanced on them with a hammer disregarding demands to drop the weapon, according to Petaluma police investigating the incident.

Four Cloverdale police officers and one supervisor responded to a 1:46 a.m. call from a resident on the 100 block of Garden Circle Way of a man in his neighbor’s backyard, Petaluma police said.

Three officers entered a side gate and allegedly saw Gonzalez holding a hammer, police said.

Petaluma police claim the officers were “fearing for their safety” when they fired at least six rounds at Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was given medical assistance before being transported the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he died, police said.

Petaluma police, with help from Rohnert Park Public Safety, are investigating the shooting under the county’s officer-involved fatal incident protocol that calls for other departments to independently investigate such cases.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.