UPDATE, 3:10 p.m.: Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal confirmed at a press conference this afternoon that the person shot by law enforcement following a brief pursuit in the Arcata Bottoms this morning died at the hospital. He also said that the deceased is not believed to be the fugitive his agency had been seeking in the same area earlier today, but also declined to identify the deceased.

Watch the HCSO press conference below:

HCSO press release below: 

On Sept. 9, 2021, at approximately 10:47 a.m. the California Highway Patrol Humboldt Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call regarding a suspicious male walking in the roadway with a firearm in the area of Heindon and Miller Roads, in the county’s jurisdiction of Arcata. The description of the suspect given to dispatchers was a white male adult in his early 30s, wearing a leather jacket and in possession of a firearm. 

Multiple officers with the California Highway Patrol and Arcata Police Department responded to the area and located a male matching this description, walking in the roadway with a firearm. Officers began de-escalation efforts with the male, during which time he brandished a firearm and an officer-involved shooting occurred. 

The male was transported to a local hospital and was declared deceased. The male has not been identified at this time.

The Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team has been activated. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office are leading this investigation.

This is an active investigation. More information will be released as available and appropriate.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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UPDATE, 1:53 p.m.: The Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that this was what they call an “officer-involved shooting” — meaning an officer has shot someone — and that more information will be made available at 3 p.m.

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Photo: Andrew Goff.

The Outpost’s Andrew Goff is at the scene of a shooting on Mad River Road in the Arcata Bottoms. The road, which leads to Mad River Beach, has been closed while the shooting — details of which are still very unclear — is being investigated.

Our Scanner Traffic Indicates correspondent “Todd” noted the first report of the shooting just before 11:30 a.m. Shortly afterward, the person shot — who was said to be armed — was transported to the hospital, Todd notes.

The Outpost’s Andrew Goff, at the scene, spoke to witnesses who said that right before the shooting, they saw a man with a briefcase walking toward Mad River Beach on the road, slowly followed by six police cars. After the whole entourage turned a corner, these witnesses said, they heard shots.

It is still unknown whether this incident is connected with the search for a wanted fugitive in the general area that was announced earlier this morning.

Again: Mad River Road is closed. Deputies are turning back cars attempting to get to the beach.

We’ll update when we know more.