Man who shot self after hourslong standoff in Petaluma motel room dies in hospital

A Santa Rosa man who shot himself early last week, ending an hourslong standoff with police in Petaluma, died Friday in a hospital, authorities said.

John Rector, 55, was taken March 12 to a medical facility with life-threatening injuries following the incident, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday.

About noon that day, Rector had barricaded himself inside a room at the Best Western on McDowell Boulevard as the Santa Rosa Police Department attempted to serve him two warrants related to felony domestic violence and arson charges.

Santa Rosa police had called in SWAT and crisis negotiation teams, and used an armored truck with long-range acoustical capabilities to contact Rector inside the room. Petaluma police assisted with their own armored vehicle.

He threatened officers multiple times throughout the standoff and fired at least one shot, according to police. Santa Rosa officers deployed tear gas inside the room and crisis negotiators tried to get him to surrender, but he did not leave.

About 3:15 p.m., Rector made comments about suicide and shortly after officers heard a muffled gunshot, the Sheriff’s Office said. Communications from him stopped.

Police used the armored truck’s pole to clear an obstruction in the window after the gunshot to ensure it was safe. About 4:15 p.m., SWAT officers entered the room and found Rector with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police later found a revolver in the room, along with spent ammunition. They also located a bullet hole in a nearby room.

Police did not fire their service weapons during the encounter, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Santa Rosa Police Department initiated critical incident protocol ― which mandates an agency outside of the those involved conduct the investigation ― following the standoff due to the extent of the man’s injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.