Female police officer fatally shot in California, suspect found dead
DAVIS, California -- A 22-year-old California police officer was fatally shot as she responded to a traffic accident late Thursday night.
The suspected gunman killed Officer Natalie Corona before taking his own life, according to police.
Just before midnight, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel announced that Corona had passed away after being taken to the hospital.
Corona was shot when she responded to a three-car crash near 5th and D streets. It's unknown if the suspect was involved in the crash, and police have not determined what prompted the attack.
Following the shooting, police issued a citywide shelter in place order as officers from throughout the region searched for the suspect.
Police spent hours trying to coax the suspect out of a home about a block from the shooting scene, using floodlights and commands on loudspeakers for him to emerge with his hands up. At one point. they sent in a robot and ignited flash bang grenades.
Just before 1:30 a.m., police announced the suspect was found dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The suspect was described as a white male in his 20s.
Officer Corona started her career at the Davis Police Department in 2016 as a community service officer. She had just completed the Sacramento's police academy last July.
According to the Williams Pioneer Review, she was sworn in as a Davis police officer on August 2.
Officer Corona had just got out of the department's field training program after Christmas and had only been on the streets for a couple of weeks.
She was the first Davis officer killed in the line of duty in six decades.
"She was a rising star within the department, and I've known her for a couple of years," Pytel said. "She started as a part-time employee volunteer, and I can tell you that I haven't seen anybody work harder in a part-time capacity and be more motivated to be a police officer than Natalie."
Officer Corona is survived by her parents. Her father is a 26-year veteran of the Colusa County Sheriff's Office and was just sworn in as Colusa County District 1 Supervisor on Monday.
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