Rookie Sacramento Police Officer Gunned Down On Duty

Sacramento police officer Tara O'Sullivan was killed by shooter who opened fire when officers responded to a call about a domestic disturbance on June 19, 2019.
Photo credit Holly Quan, KCBS Radio

SACRAMENTO — A rookie police officer was fatally shot while responding to a domestic disturbance call, authorities said. 

The gunman surrendered to authorities on Thursday after barricading himself in the home for hours. 

Tara O'Sullivan, 26, was identified as the officer who was shot in an incident that began Wednesday around 6 p.m.

She was helping a woman collect belongings from the home when the shooter opened fire with a rifle, authorities said. It took other officers about 45 minutes to remove O'Sullivan from the backyard because the suspect continued shooting, according to police. 

It is with a broken heart that we have to share with all of you that earlier today we lost one of our own. While on a call for service in North Sacramento, Officer Tara O’Sullivan was shot and killed. She gave her young life while protecting our community pic.twitter.com/MXr7C4M5qJ

— Sacramento Police (@SacPolice) June 20, 2019

O'Sullivan died later at the UC Davis Medical Center. 

O'Sullivan, who grew up in Pleasant Hill, according to the East Bay Times, had graduated from the police academy in December and was still in training. 

The killing prompted an outpouring of support at Sacramento police headquarters. On Thursday morning, EMTs Lacey Pilcher and Stephanie Hirota dropped off blue orchids at the department's headquarters. 

"It's all public service," said Hirota, 26, "so we're all like a big family."

EMTs in Sacramento deliver blue orchids to the city's police headquarters after a rookie police officer was slain on duty. Photos by @QuanKCBSradio https://t.co/S9InhFtJkx pic.twitter.com/3pQF3s40zp

— KCBS 106.9 FM/740 AM (@KCBSRadio) June 20, 2019