Early Morning Shooting Near Arcata Plaza

Dear HSU community,

Dear HSU community,

Early this morning, one of our officers with the University Police Department was injured by gunfire at an incident near the Arcata Plaza. He had been responding, along with Arcata Police, to reports of a man brandishing a weapon.

The officer, whose name is not being released at this time, was treated at a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. The suspect, a 26-year-old with past felony convictions, was shot by officers and later succumbed to his injuries. Initial reports indicate police fired on the suspect after he fired a weapon and injured our UPD officer. A news release from the Arcata Police Department is here.

There was never an identified danger on campus.

The Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) which includes investigators from the Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Fortuna Police Department, California Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice Crime Laboratory are investigating this shooting. Witnesses are asked to call the Arcata Police Department at (707) 822-2426.

Humboldt State’s focus is on assisting with the investigation in any way we can, and on supporting our injured officer and his family. This is a difficult time for them, and I want him, and his family, to know that we appreciate his service and that they are in our thoughts.”

Sincerely yours,

Lisa A. Rossbacher, Ph.D.
President