Sacramento sheriff’s officials release name of man shot to death by law enforcement on I-80
.jpg "Traffic is seen being diverted Sunday off eastbound Interstate 80 at the exit for Greenback Lane and Elkhorn Boulevard following an officer-involved shooting. Sacramento County sheriff’s officials on Monday identified 36-year-old Zachary Wolffscott as the man shot dead by CHP officers and a deputy.")
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Monday afternoon released the name of a man who was shot to death by authorities on Sunday after a vehicle pursuit that ended with a crash on Interstate 80.
Zachary Wolffscott, 36, was wounded Sunday afternoon when two California Highway Patrol officers and a sheriff’s deputy fired their weapons, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release. Wolffscott was taken by ambulance to Mercy San Juan Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Sheriff’s Office also revealed more details about Sunday’s fatal shooting and the circumstances that led up to it.
About 12:20 p.m., a CHP motorcycle officer was involved in a vehicle pursuit of a silver Toyota Prius near I-80 and Norwood Avenue. Moments later, a sheriff’s K-9 deputy joined the vehicle chase, along with another CHP officer, authorities said.
The Prius, driven by Wolffscott, struck a man riding a motorcycle on I-80, just east of Greenback Lane, sheriff’s officials said. The crash seemed to render the Prius inoperable.
Wolffscott then got out of the Prius, brandished a knife and advanced toward the officers, ignoring repeated commands to stop, sheriff’s officials said. The two officers and the deputy then fired their guns at Wolfscott.
The motorcyclist in the crash also was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Sheriff’s officials said he suffered serious injuries in the crash but was expected to survive.
The deadly shooting remains under investigation as authorities interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records and analyze forensic evidence, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s homicide bureau and professional standards division are investigating the shooting, which is standard practice for a police shooting that occurs in the sheriff’s jurisdiction. The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office will conduct an independent review of the shooting.
In accordance with the Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, the deputy involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office did not release the name of the CHP officers or the deputy involved in the shooting.
The Sheriff’s Office said it will later release a community briefing video that will include body camera video and other information, in compliance with state law.
This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 6:21 PM.
