Police Officer Shot by Armed Convicted Felon

_The City of Arcata issued the following press release_:

_The City of Arcata issued the following press release_:

On September 9, 2017 at about 1:40am, an Arcata Police Officer and a Humboldt State University Police Officer were investigating a report of a man seen waiving a handgun on the Plaza. Reportedly the man was involved in an altercation when he displayed the gun.

Preliminary reports indicate that as the police officers approached a parked vehicle, the suspect, a twenty-six year-old male, with past felony convictions, got out of the vehicle and fired a handgun at the officers. The Humboldt State University Police Officer was wounded by the gun fire. Both officers returned fire, hitting the man. The man was not an HSU student. He was pronounced dead at the Mad River Community Hospital. His identity is being withheld pending notification of family. The police officer who was shot was transported to a local Hospital where he has been admitted. His injuries are not life-threatening. A handgun was recovered at the crime scene.

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, (707) 822-2426.

No further information will be released at this time. The Arcata Police Department will issue an update this evening at 6pm.