Sacramento police shoot man following domestic violence call at Matsui Park
Sacramento police shot and wounded a man Friday in a Sacramento park after officers responded to a domestic violence incident.
The shooting happened just after 1 p.m. at Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park on the 400 block of Jibboom Street, police said in a news release. Officers had been dispatched about 11:50 a.m. following a 911 call alleging the man, later identified as 37-year-old Johnny Balcorta of Sacramento, had thrown “a knife at the caller, attempted to molest him, and stole his property.” The caller also reported Balcorta was armed with a BB gun and had a warrant for his arrest.
Police said they located Balcorta around noon. He fled on foot with what appeared to be a firearm. “Officers pursued Balcorta, but lost sight of him near the waterline near Matsui Park. Additional officers responded and a large perimeter was established. Resources from allied agencies were requested and responded to assist.”
Just after 1 p.m., officers found Balcorta and gave him commands to surrender. When he failed to comply, officers deployed a K-9, according to police. Two officers fired their weapons, “striking Balcorta at least one time.” He was treated at the scene by officers and a paramedic from a California Highway Patrol helicopter that had landed nearby.
“Officers recovered what were later determined to be two imitation firearms at the scene. No officers were injured during the encounter,” the statement said.
Balcorta was taken to a hospital by Sacramento Fire Department medics. He was in “stable” condition Friday evening and was expected to be booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail after medical clearance.
In line with past department practices, the officers involved in Friday’s shooting were expected to be placed on critical incident leave.
The incident was being investigated by the Sacramento Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Internal Affairs Division, Force Investigation Team and Professional Standards Unit, the department said in the news release. The agency also said the city’s Office of Public Safety Accountability and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office were expected to oversee the investigation.
Police were also expected to release video from body-worn and patrol car cameras, as mandated by the City Council’s policy on police use of force and Senate Bill 1421, which requires disclosure of police records pertaining to incidents of great bodily injury within 30 days of an incident.
This was the first officer-involved shooting by the department since September when officers wounded a man trying to flee police in a North Sacramento industrial park.
On Sept. 14, police shot and wounded the man — identified as Santino Marez, now 40 — after officers tried to stop him for suspended vehicle registration near Beloit Drive and Bell Avenue. According to police, Marez abandoned the vehicle and climbed onto a nearby RV. While trying to place Marez under arrest, police shot him in the city’s Raley Industrial Park district.
Marez was treated at a hospital, then booked into jail on suspicion of using force to resist arrest and on an outstanding warrant for being a felon in possession of a firearm. One officer suffered minor injuries during the arrest.
Marez, who was released from jail, failed to appear at his subsequent court hearing.
In April 2024, Sacramento officers were present during a fatal police shooting in Oakland during a homicide investigation, though it was Oakland officers who opened fire. The man killed, Dominique Broadt, was later linked to a March killing in south Sacramento, but officials declined to confirm whether he was the primary suspect in that case.
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 2:23 PM.
