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Press release from the District Attorney’s Office:

District Attorney Stacey Eads has completed her review of the investigation, which includes extensive video surveillance as well as body worn camera footage, regarding the June 5, 2025, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Officer-involved shooting of 29-year-old Nicholas David Anderson of Simi Valley, California. A Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team, including members from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Arcata Police Department, Fortuna Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and California Highway Patrol, conducted the investigation. Additionally, the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office and the California Department of Justice- Bureau of Forensic Services, contributed to the investigation.

The following summarizes the facts derived from the investigation, as well as applicable law and legal conclusions of the District Attorney regarding this incident.

Please be advised the following content may be disturbing for readers.

Factual Summary

On the evening of June 4, 2025, 29-year-old Nicholas David Anderson drove to Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna and walked in seeking treatment for a severe wound to his left forearm. Mr. Anderson gave hospital staff the alias “Edward Sherman” and told them “I hurt myself.” His left arm was wrapped with a t-shirt and bleeding. He described cutting his left wrist with a knife in a horizontal and vertical manner; however he soon recanted his initial description of the injury as being self-inflicted — providing very little additional information. After meeting with Mr. Anderson, a treating physician opined Mr. Anderson presented as a danger to himself and placed a 24-hour psychiatric “1799” hold on him. Shortly after midnight, Mr. Anderson was transferred from Redwood Memorial to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka to provide him with a higher level of medical care.

At St. Joseph Hospital, initial assessments supported Mr. Anderson’s likely need for surgery and psychiatric intervention, however during early morning hours of June 5 he fled from the hospital. Staff followed him a short distance but lost sight of him after he ran into a nearby wooded area. Law enforcement was contacted to assist in locating him; however, Mr. Anderson was not located by authorities.

Mr. Anderson is captured on a doorbell camera video (later reviewed) in Eureka after he rings the doorbell and requests a ride, which he is not given, from the homeowner. A different Eureka homeowner also encounters him after he emerged from a wooded gully area onto her property around 11:00 a.m. After a brief encounter, he disappeared back into the woods. Shortly after noon, a Eureka woman, also unfamiliar with Mr. Anderson, encounters him and he asks for a ride. Shortly after noon, she arranges for a male friend to provide Mr. Anderson a ride to Redwood Memorial Hospital where his car was still parked.

At 2:16 p.m. on June 5 a 911 call was placed by an employee of the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria reporting a man with an injured arm needed medical attention and was “dripping blood everywhere” in the men’s shower of the Recreation Center in Loleta. Humboldt County Sheriff Corporal Kellen Brown responded to the scene at 2:21 and arrived in his marked Sheriff’s patrol vehicle by 2:27. Cpl. Brown observed Mr. Anderson seated just outside entrance doors to the Recreation Center. He was unclothed with a towel around his waist and blood-soaked bandages wrapped around his left forearm. Cpl. Brown observed towels, a set of keys and a knife next to Anderson while they spoke. During the interaction, Mr. Anderson had a calm demeanor. He was not forthcoming about his age, nor the cause of his injury and provided only a first name of “Tommy”. Mr. Anderson suggested his injury may have been caused during a traffic collision, which prompted Cpl. Brown to request Corporal Bradford Anderson, HCSO, respond to assist and survey the area for a possible traffic collision.

Paramedics arrived at the Recreation Center shortly after Cpl. Brown. Emergency personnel assured Mr. Anderson that he was not in trouble and his name was needed for accuracy of medical records. Nonetheless, Mr. Anderson declined to provide accurate information. Due to the severity of his injury and need for care, the emergency medical professionals strongly recommended he go with them to the hospital for treatment; however, he refused. Within twenty minutes, Mr. Anderson’s wound was rinsed and wrapped with fresh gauze and bandages and the emergency medical team personnel left for their next 911 call. Mr. Anderson’s remaining belongings were gathered by Bear River Rancheria staff from within the Recreation Center and provided to him. He was then directed to leave the property.

Cpl. Brown offered to help Mr. Anderson take his belongings to his car. Mr. Anderson declined, stating “I will put it in my car. You don’t need to supervise me.” Cpl. Brown reiterated for Mr. Anderson his getting medical treatment at a hospital was recommended and he needed to make his way off the Rancheria. After putting on some clothes, Mr. Anderson walked off towards the Bear River Tobacco Traders shop, about 1000 feet northeast of the Recreation Center.

After Cpl. Anderson searched the area, finding no sign of a traffic collision, he joined Cpl. Brown to further assist. Shortly thereafter, with the assistance of Bear River Security they learned of the location of Mr. Anderson’s parked car in the Recreation Center lot. Identification of Mr. Anderson’s vehicle helped officers learn the name of the registered owner, and subsequently his true name. Additionally, it was evident Mr. Anderson was not heading towards his car, so the corporals suspected he was not intending to leave the property as directed. They drove to Mr. Anderson’s location near an EV charging station. They spoke with him and reminded him that Tribal representatives requested he leave the Bear River Rancheria property. Mr. Anderson expressed his understanding and clarified with the officers which direction he needed to go to leave the property. He was told they did not want to take him to jail, that it would not be a good solution. He was told he could walk out or go to his car and drive out. Despite the directions, Mr. Anderson lingered, and further discussion ensued with the corporals repeatedly explaining the request for him to leave and his options. At one point Cpl. Anderson tells Mr. Anderson “Like, we’re legitimately concerned. You have a giant slash in your arm…We just want to make sure you’re okay.” After about ten minutes Mr. Anderson seemed to acquiesce and walked across a field towards the Recreation Center lot towards his parked car.

The corporals continued to monitor the situation from a distance by parking in a paved cul-de-sac off Brenard Road across from the Recreation Center. There are no structures in the cul-de-sac, only grassy terrain. While awaiting Mr. Anderson’s departure, the corporals reached out to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and learned only that Mr. Anderson had minimal law enforcement contacts in his county of residence during the last ten years.

After reaching his car, Mr. Anderson drove out of the Recreation Center parking lot and onto Singley Hill Road; however, instead of leaving the property he parked off to the side of Singley Hill Road adjacent to the Bear River Tobacco Traders shop. After another ten minutes, he turned his car around heading back towards the Recreation Center. Before reaching the Recreation Center, Mr. Anderson pulled into the cul-de-sac parking near the marked Sheriff’s patrol vehicles. Both corporals exited their patrol vehicles. As Mr. Anderson got out of his car Cpl. Brown walked around the patrol vehicles stopping several feet away from Mr. Anderson’s vehicle. Cpl. Anderson took a seemingly relaxed composure leaning onto the hood of one of the patrol vehicles.

After Mr. Anderson was out of his car he walked towards the officers and stopped. He looked directly at them. Cpl. Brown asked, “What’s the issue, man?” Mr. Anderson dipped his hands into his front pants pockets and pulled a locking blade knife from his right pocket. Using both hands he opened the blade. Cpl. Brown and Cpl. Anderson simultaneously placed their right hand on their holstered firearm. Moments later they each drew their firearms. Cpl. Brown told Mr. Anderson “Put that down.” Cpl. Brown followed with “Put it down. Now!” During the interaction Mr. Anderson told them he is “Just done.”

Mr. Anderson raised both arms with his elbows relatively level to his shoulders and his hands as high as his head. With the knife clenched in his right hand and the exposed blade pointed in the direction of the officers he quickly walked towards the corporals. Both officers retreated backwards and repeatedly ordered Mr. Anderson to “Get on the ground.” With the knife still raised at head level, Mr. Anderson jogged around a patrol vehicle in pursuit of the officers who with their firearms drawn, walk backwards and at one point run from him to create distance. The corporals split from each other as Cpl. Brown walked back towards the driver’s side of Mr. Anderson’s parked car, and Cpl. Anderson onto a gently sloped grassy area. Mr. Anderson, knife still raised, sprinted directly at Cpl. Anderson. As Mr. Anderson closed in on him, Cpl. Anderson fired three shots. Mr. Anderson fell to the ground.

Less than 25 seconds passed from the moment Mr. Anderson first pursues the corporals with the knife and when he is shot by Cpl. Anderson. It was during the last 3 seconds that Mr. Anderson ran at Cpl. Anderson, with the knife raised. Both Cpl. Brown and Cpl. Anderson feared Mr. Anderson was going to stab Cpl. Anderson.

After Mr. Anderson falls, Cpl. Anderson kicked the knife out of Mr. Anderson’s reach, the corporals placed handcuffs on Mr. Anderson and immediately began lifesaving efforts. Mr. Anderson was transported to Redwood Memorial Hospital; however, he succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased at 4:09 p.m. on June 5.

Three bullet casings located in a grassy area where Cpl. Anderson fired shots, a bullet projectile located in the front passenger door of an uninjured civilian’s Ford F-350 truck, and Mr. Anderson’s seven-inch folding knife with a three-inch blade, were collected from the scene by Senior Criminalist Dale Cloutier, Department of Justice.

On June 11, Dr. Bennet Omalu, Forensic Pathologist/Neuropathologist, performed an autopsy and determined Mr. Anderson suffered a fatal gunshot wound in the center of his chest. Dr. Omalu found a projectile pierced Mr. Anderson’s heart and right lung, and a corresponding bullet and polymer tip were removed from Mr. Anderson’s body. Another bullet, and projectiles, removed from Mr. Anderson’s left armpit area caused a gunshot wound near Mr. Anderson’s left shoulder. Subsequent forensic toxicology “complete drug screen” of Mr. Anderson’s blood, urine and other bodily fluid/substance samples returned negative.

At the time of the shooting, Cpl. Anderson had over 9 years of law enforcement experience working over 8 years on patrol for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and one year as a correctional officer. He wore his distinctly marked Sheriff’s uniform and was armed with his HCSO issued Glock 17.

The Law

Under California law, an officer is justified in using deadly force when they reasonably believe, based on the totality of the circumstances, that such force is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person. Moreover, officers need not retreat or desist from their efforts due to resistance or threatened resistance.  

Pursuant to Penal Code section 196, homicide committed by peace officers is justified when the peace officer’s use of force complies with Penal Code section 835a.  Thus, the most pertinent law in this situation is Penal Code section 835a, which states the following:

[Ed. Note: Find the code at this link.]   

Legal Analysis

On June 5, when Cpl. Anderson discharged his firearm, he justifiably used deadly force because he was confronted by a situation where he reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary to defend himself against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury posed by Mr. Anderson. Based upon earlier interactions and available historical information, it was reasonable for the officers to anticipate a peaceful interaction with Mr. Anderson. However, once Mr. Anderson pulled the knife from his pants pocket, unfolded the 3-inch blade and pursued the officers, the situation rapidly evolved into an entirely different encounter. In response to Mr. Anderson brandishing the knife and chasing them, both officers drew their firearms and attempted to create distance between themselves and Mr. Anderson while giving clear directives for him to put the knife down. He was also directed to get on the ground. Rather than comply with the commands, Mr. Anderson closed in on Cpl. Anderson when he sprinted directly at Cpl. Anderson with his knife raised in the air. Just a few seconds passed during that critical time, and Cpl. Anderson believed if he did not defend himself, he would be stabbed.

During those last seconds before Cpl. Anderson fired shots when Mr. Anderson ran with the knife at Cpl. Anderson above his head, Cpl. Anderson reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary to defend against Mr. Anderson, who demonstrated the present ability, opportunity, and apparent intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury to him.  Thus, Cpl. Anderson was legally justified in using deadly force to defend himself against the imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury posed by Mr. Anderson.

Conclusion

District Attorney Stacey Eads has concluded the shooting was legally justified, in that the actions of Cpl. Anderson complied with California Penal Code Section 835a.   Mr. Anderson’s family has been notified of her findings and legal determination.