CrimeBeat Q&A: What happened to the man shot by an SSU police officer last year?

Whatever happened to the man shot by a Sonoma State University police officer last May after the Cotati Crawl? Did he survive?

More than a year after Eduardo Martinez Sanchez was shot twice in the back during a confrontation with an SSU police officer, the 23-year-old from Santa Rosa is set to appear in Sonoma County Superior Court on Monday.

Martinez Sanchez was originally charged by prosecutors in his Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital room last June for felony gross negligent discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and violation of parole, among others offenses.

Prosecution was delayed as he remained hospitalized for more than nine months after the early morning May 5, 2017, shooting. He was booked Feb. 16 into Sonoma County Jail, according to jail records.

The officer-involved shooting stemmed from an incident hours earlier when rowdy crowds gathered on the street in Cotati after bars closed at 2 a.m. According to the Sheriff's Office, Martinez Sanchez assaulted a woman on the street, and twice slapped a woman who came to her aid, authorities said, before brandishing a handgun and threatening to kill her. The women fled, and Martinez Sanchez fired four shots in their direction, authorities said.

Officers from the Cotati and Sonoma State University police departments heard the shots, authorities said, and later found four bullet casings on East Cotati Avenue.

Hours later, SSU Officer Rafael Cardenas saw a man matching the description of Martinez Sanchez and attempted to detain him. In the ensuing struggle, Martinez Sanchez was able to flee.

The officer noticed Martinez Sanchez grabbing his waistband as he ran, and when the officer saw a silver object in Martinez Sanchez's waistband he fired two rounds at him, authorities said.

A silver semi-automatic handgun was found under bushes with the same caliber as the four recovered bullet casings.

Cardenas was placed on paid leave but has since returned to active duty, said SSU Interim Police Chief David Dougherty.

The Sheriff's Office has completed its investigation and sent a report to the District Attorney's Office for review, said Sgt. Spencer Crum.

The DA's Office is gathering and reviewing all available evidence, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell.