Video: Man in mental health crisis runs at Calif. officers with knife before fatal OIS

By Rosalio Ahumada
The Sacramento Bee

RIO LINDA, Calif. —The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday afternoon released video of a deputy fatally shooting a man who advanced toward deputies holding a knife during a March 23 deadly confrontation outside a Rio Linda home.

Christopher Gilmore, 38, was shot to death in front of the home in the 6500 block of Campanile Street even though he posed no public threat and was suffering from a mental health crisis, lawyers representing Gilmore’s family have said. The lawyers last month released a one-minute video clip of the fatal shooting captured on a security camera.

Sheriff’s officials said a caller reported her brother, later identified as Gilmore, had schizophrenia, was armed with a knife and was cutting himself in a bathroom. One of Gilmore’s roommates told authorities that Gilmore made statements that he wanted to die by “suicide by cop,” according to a sheriff’s news release.

“He thinks that everyone is out to hurt him,” the caller said about her brother’s schizophrenia diagnosis and his previous suicide-by-cop attempt. “He tried to cut himself out in public before and the cops had him surrounded and he wouldn’t drop the knife and he was trying to cut himself.”

The Sheriff’s Office released an edited 23-minute video of the incident that includes body camera video, audio recordings of 911 calls and a narration from Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi.

All occupants had exited the home that morning; Gilmore was inside alone, sheriff’s officials said. Medics from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department had been staged nearby until deputies arrived at the home.

The deputies tried to call him outside, but Gilmore refused to come out.

Sheriff’s officials said the deputies learned Gilmore was on probation and had been arrested six days earlier by the Folsom Police Department on suspicion of violently resisting an officer, vandalism, driving under the influence and drug possession charges. The court later released him on his own recognizance pending trial, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

About 10 minutes after the deputies arrived, Gilmore opened the garage while holding a knife, sheriff’s officials said. The deputies backed away toward the street while directing him to drop the knife and surrender.

“Chris, we’re here to help you,” one of the deputies is heard saying in the video. “We need you to come out with nothing in your hands.”

Sheriff’s officials said Gilmore refused to drop the knife, before a few minutes passed and he exited the garage still holding the knife and advancing toward the deputies. One deputy fired multiple less-lethal shotgun rounds at Gilmore to stop and disarm him, but the rounds were ineffective.

The video showed five less-lethal shotgun rounds were fired at Gilmore.

Gilmore continued to advance and — while still holding the knife — came within several feet of a deputy before the deputy shot him with his department-issued handgun, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies administered first aid at the scene, including applying tourniquets and a chest seal, until medics arrived, sheriff’s officials said. Gilmore was pronounced dead at the scene.

The video released Tuesday included a photo of the knife sheriff’s officials said Gilmore was holding when he advanced toward the deputies. The knife had a handle, and its blade appeared 3.5 inches long, according to the image provided in the video.

In addition to the five less-lethal rounds, the other deputy fired three bullets at Gilmore with his service handgun. The sheriff’s spokesman said Gilmore had at least 35 self-inflicted stab wounds on his body.

Gandhi said the deputy who fired his handgun at Gilmore has worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2019. Sheriff’s officials did not release the deputy’s name nor did they say whether the deputy remained on administrative leave.

The sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Professional Standards Division continues to investigate this deadly shooting. The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office is conducting its own review of the shooting.

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