Shots fired at Rancho officer
By Todd Milbourn - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, December 17, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1
Shots fired at a police officer. A suburban neighborhood locked down. A nightclub shuttered. A rapper arrested.
It was a dramatic Friday night in a normally quiet part of Rancho Cordova. It began with a routine traffic stop and ended with a helicopter-aided manhunt.
According to authorities, about 10:30 p.m., a Rancho Cordova officer tried to pull over a carload of four men near the intersection of Coloma Road and Sunrise Boulevard.
After a short car chase, all four men fled on foot.
Three men ran toward a nearby nightclub, which was scheduled to host a hip-hop show. The fourth bolted for a residential backyard and hopped a fence.
As an officer leaped over the fence in pursuit, the man pulled out a gun and fired twice, police said.
The officer dodged the bullets. He did not return fire.
As news of the shooting spread through police radios, the Sunriver neighborhood, a modest subdivision, quickly morphed into a sort of police state.
Law enforcement officers from four agencies barred anyone from coming or going. Helicopters hovered above, shining spotlights. A SWAT team combed through homes and backyards with police dogs. Startled residents peered out their windows to see what was going on.
"I can sleep through just about anything. This was too much," said Rod Jackson, 40, who lives on Tiber River Drive and stayed up all night amid the commotion.
Despite the effort, authorities did not catch the shooter or find the gun, said Sgt. Tim Curran of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
Back at the nightclub, the Platinum Palace, police said they did nab two of the men from the car. A third man got away by blending into the crowd.
One of the men arrested was Dominick Newton, 29. He was charged with resisting arrest and marijuana possession. Curran confirmed that Newton is an East Bay rapper who goes by the name "The Jacka."
Newton was scheduled to perform at the show, billed as a record release party that also featured a popular Bay Area emcee named Keak da Sneak.
The show never happened.
Reuben Meeks, the Rancho Cordova police chief, said the club was supposed to have 15 licensed security guards.
George Daniel, the owner of the club, said he had rented out the building -- at 11076 Coloma Road -- to a promoter who was supposed to take care of security.
The neighborhood lockdown lasted from shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday until about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Early Saturday morning, police started letting residents come and go, but not before checking their cars and asking them about their business.
By Todd Milbourn - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, December 17, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1
Shots fired at a police officer. A suburban neighborhood locked down. A nightclub shuttered. A rapper arrested.
It was a dramatic Friday night in a normally quiet part of Rancho Cordova. It began with a routine traffic stop and ended with a helicopter-aided manhunt.
According to authorities, about 10:30 p.m., a Rancho Cordova officer tried to pull over a carload of four men near the intersection of Coloma Road and Sunrise Boulevard.
After a short car chase, all four men fled on foot.
Three men ran toward a nearby nightclub, which was scheduled to host a hip-hop show. The fourth bolted for a residential backyard and hopped a fence.
As an officer leaped over the fence in pursuit, the man pulled out a gun and fired twice, police said.
The officer dodged the bullets. He did not return fire.
As news of the shooting spread through police radios, the Sunriver neighborhood, a modest subdivision, quickly morphed into a sort of police state.
Law enforcement officers from four agencies barred anyone from coming or going. Helicopters hovered above, shining spotlights. A SWAT team combed through homes and backyards with police dogs. Startled residents peered out their windows to see what was going on.
"I can sleep through just about anything. This was too much," said Rod Jackson, 40, who lives on Tiber River Drive and stayed up all night amid the commotion.
Despite the effort, authorities did not catch the shooter or find the gun, said Sgt. Tim Curran of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
Back at the nightclub, the Platinum Palace, police said they did nab two of the men from the car. A third man got away by blending into the crowd.
One of the men arrested was Dominick Newton, 29. He was charged with resisting arrest and marijuana possession. Curran confirmed that Newton is an East Bay rapper who goes by the name "The Jacka."
Newton was scheduled to perform at the show, billed as a record release party that also featured a popular Bay Area emcee named Keak da Sneak.
The show never happened.
Reuben Meeks, the Rancho Cordova police chief, said the club was supposed to have 15 licensed security guards.
George Daniel, the owner of the club, said he had rented out the building -- at 11076 Coloma Road -- to a promoter who was supposed to take care of security.
The neighborhood lockdown lasted from shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday until about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Early Saturday morning, police started letting residents come and go, but not before checking their cars and asking them about their business.