Blue Alert still in effect for man who shot at police in North Sacramento
Law enforcement have located the vehicle of an armed man who fired on police Tuesday night in North Sacramento before fleeing.
The truck owned by 50-year-old Albert Wheeler was found Wednesday abandoned near St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church at the intersection of Bell Street and Church Avenue in northern Arden Arcade, approximately 1½ miles away from the scene of Tuesday’s incident.
The California Highway Patrol issued an alert for Wheeler late Tuesday after Sacramento police responded to a call around 7:30 p.m. on the 1200 block of Rivera Drive to a man threatening suicide. When officers arrived to the Hagginwood neighborhood , they said Wheeler fired at the officers from his vehicle, a tan-colored 2013 Chevy Silverado truck, before he sped away. No officers were injured.
Wheeler is still at-large, police said.
Authorities described Wheeler as 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, bald with brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray tank top, black basketball shorts and black Nike-brand shoes. Photos of the suspect included a recent photo and a driver’s license image from 2008.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Sacramento police and the CHP in the search.
Authorities are urging anyone who sees Wheeler to call 911. The alert covers Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and Sutter counties, the CHP said.
What is a Blue Alert?
The Blue Alert is issued by the CHP following a “violent attack upon a law enforcement officer,” according to the agency. The alerts are only triggered when “a law enforcement agency ... has determined that the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public,” according to the CHP, and when “a detailed description of the suspect’s vehicle or license plate is available for broadcast.”
The alerts are made to “avert further harm or accelerate apprehension of the suspect,” the agency says on its website. In addition to showing information on freeway signs, some people were notified via emergency tones and messages on cell phones and televisions.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides confidential assistance to anyone in crisis and their loved ones through a live chat and free 24-hour hotline: 800-273-8255. WellSpace Health operates the Sacramento region’s 24-hour hotline: 916-368-3111 or text HOPE to 916-668-4226.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 10:24 PM.
