Domestic Dispute Led To Richmond Toll Plaza Slaying
Posted: 6:12 pm PDT August 11, 2009Updated: 10:18 pm PDT August 11, 2009
RICHMOND, Calif. -- A domestic dispute appears to have led to the shooting deaths of a man and a woman at the toll plaza of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge this evening, a Richmond police sergeant said.
The shooting happened shortly before 6 p.m. when a man shot and killed a 50-year-old female toll collector named Debbie Ross who was working from toll booth number 3. The suspect then shot a man in his 40s who was in a car in the parking lot of the toll plaza.
Police have identified the suspect as 46-year-old Nathaniel Burris, who was in a "dating relationship" and lived with the female victim, Richmond police Sgt. Bisa French said.
Burris came to the scene armed with a shotgun.
Burris allegedly fled in a white 2005 Ford van with the words "Western Eagle Shuttle" in orange lettering and California license plate No. 8U40504.
"There's an extensive search. We have officers all over the state on the lookout for him and the vehicle," French said. "We're doing an all out manhunt."
French said airports statewide have also been alerted of the case.
Richmond police went to the home Burris and Ross shared in the 400 block of Second Street in Richmond, but did not locate Burris, French said.
Police were still searching the apartment late Tuesday evening.
Sources told KTVU the two had been together seven years and had just moved into this complex late last year.
One person said Ross' family had encouraged her to break off the relationship because of Burris' financial troubles. That person told KTVU Burris had long worked delivering new cars and had only recently begun driving an airport transport van, frequently seen in apartment complex parking lot.
That source also said Burris had recently applied to become a security guard at Richmond’s Kaiser Hospital, but said Ross was worried because her "jealous" boyfriend would be carrying a gun for that job.
Ross' neighbor says occasionally a "commotion" could be heard in that household, but that the toll worker was a happy person.
"From what I've known of her, she's just been pretty much just happy go lucky," said neighbor Erin Clark. "Just talkative. Hyper happy. Always wants to talk."
In the meantime, other neighbors painted a different picture of Nathan Burris. They said he was quiet and was infrequently seen at the apartment.
One neighbor told KTVU the police came here just three days ago, on August 8th, to remove him from Ross' apartment.
"They asked me did I live in this address and I told 'em yeah. And then they were like, ‘Is this such and such address?’ and I was like ‘No, that's in the back,’” said neighbor Mercedes Boyd. “And they was like ‘Oh, well. We came here to remove her former boyfriend.’ and I was like ‘No, you have the wrong address,’ and then I told them where it was at and then I showed them and then they went back there."
Neighbors reported seeing the shuttle van Burris drove at the apartment Tuesday before the shooting. Police said there doesn't appear to be evidence Burris returned to the apartment after the shooting.
Burris is considered armed and dangerous and anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
The shooting led to a massive back-up on Interstate 580 during the evening commute.
Traffic slowed to a crawl in the westbound direction for drivers trying to get onto the bridge. Traffic was also slowed considerably eastbound for those coming from Marin.
The highway patrol said toll workers were sent home during the course of the investigation, allowing drivers to pass through the gates without having to pay.
Later Tuesday evening, only two of the seven lanes at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll plaza were open to traffic as the investigation continued. Authorities were not sure when all of the lanes would reopen.
