Rohnert Park police say armed man shot after hour-long confrontation

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- A Rohnert Park public safety officer shot and injured a suspect late Sunday night, according to public safety officials.

At 10:40 p.m., officers with the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety heard several gunshots fired in front of the department's main station on City Center Drive.

Officers went outside to investigate and found a male suspect holding a firearm and asking to be shot by police, public safety officials said.

While a crisis negotiator responded to the scene, officers kept communicating with the suspect, who repeatedly told the officers to kill him, public safety officials said.

After about an hour, the suspect started advancing on the officers, who in turn moved away in order to continue their conversation with him.

According to public safety officials, the suspect ignored commands to drop his weapon and began walking toward an officer. Out of fear for his life, that officer shot and struck the suspect.

Officers immediately rendered aid to the suspect. An ambulance that was staged at the scene then took the suspect to a hospital, public safety officials said.

The names of the officer and the suspect are not being released at this time, public safety officials said. Further details about the shooting were not immediately available.

The case is being investigated by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.