POLICE HEROISM AWARD
Randall Winn
Sergeant, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
Scott Pfeifer, Scott Puffer, Dan Donelli, Darron Epperson and Orrlando Mayes
Detectives, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
On June 9, 2010, Concord police officers requested assistance from Sacramento County Sheriff’s detectives in picking up a wanted felon who was believed to be staying at a relative’s apartment. A plan was formulated by the arrest team made up of Robbery and Major Crimes detectives. The felon, Anthony Alvarez, was wanted for several bank robberies and had just recently attempted to shoot a Concord police officer during a traffic stop. Alvarez was also a prime suspect in a San Francisco homicide.
Detectives entered the apartment complex to ascertain if the suspect was currently at the relative’s apartment and could see a group of people standing near the parking area. Alvarez saw the approaching officers, grabbed a small child being held by another person and ran back into a nearby apartment. He began barricading the doors and closing up the blinds and curtains of the apartment. Detectives learned from relatives that he was in possession of weapons and ammunition.
Detective Scott Kolb saw another child through a bedroom window. Detective Jeff Wright removed the screen from the bedroom window, lifted the child out and carried the 4-year-old to safety. They could see the 16-month-old child near the doorway in the bedroom. Detective Wright returned to the bedroom window but was foiled when the suspect grabbed the child, Baby Michael, from the bedroom and retreated farther into the apartment.
This was the beginning of the longest hostage situation in Sacramento County history. A full Special Enforcement Detail (SED) callout was initiated as officers began evacuations and established a perimeter. Businesses along Arden Way closed their doors as the threat of gunfire loomed over the busy thoroughfare.
Hostage negotiators began communication with Alvarez, who often ignored their calls. In order to gain more information, robots were deployed and plans were made to create a field of view into the apartment.
Baby Michael’s safety was of utmost concern to all involved. As dusk progressed into darkness, an attempt to clear a window of its blinds was made. Using a fire hose, they broke a window with the water and cleared away the hanging vertical blinds. Alvarez fired at the officers, who returned fire when they could ascertain the safety of Baby Michael.
Throughout the first night, gunfire could be heard by all those waiting anxiously. As dawn approached, the silence seemed eerie. There were no cries heard from the child missing his family; there were no answers to the calls from negotiators.
Sacramento Police Department SWAT was called in to relieve the exhausted Sheriff’s SED teams. A sigh of relief could be heard with the first cries of the day from Baby Michael. A robot, supplied with food and water for the baby, was sent in. Once again, Alvarez began shooting while using the baby as a shield.
Early afternoon brought the return of the Sheriff’s SED teams. Day three loomed on the horizon. Alvarez had begun using Baby Michael to draw fire and there was a change in his attitude in regard to care of the child.
Alvarez barricaded himself and Baby Michael in a small hallway in the apartment. Furniture had been placed against doors. A plan was formulated to use explosives to create a breach in an exterior wall to create a field of view into the apartment. After the smoke cleared, Sergeant Randall Winn was “on-gun,” looking through the newly created hole in the wall, and saw Alvarez holding Baby Michael and a handgun. When Alvarez pointed his gun toward Sergeant Winn, Sergeant Winn opened fire. Alvarez was struck by the gunfire; dropped Baby Michael (who was not harmed); and slumped to the floor as the rescue team of Deputies Scott Puffer, Dan Donelli, Scott Pfeifer and Darron Epperson made entry into the apartment.
Even though he was mortally wounded, Alvarez remained a lethal threat. Sergeant Winn shot him in the foot when he attempted to move to cover. When Alvarez continued to shoot at both Sergeant Winn and the advancing rescue team, Sergeant Winn intentionally shot the gun out of Alvarez’s hand. At this point, Alvarez had been wounded multiple times. However, he refused to give up and was reaching for his second handgun when Deputy Puffer eliminated the threat with one final, well-placed shot. Deputy Puffer then picked up Baby Michael and handed him through the living room window and into the awaiting arms of Deputy Orrlando Mayes.
Nearly 60 hours later, the end had come. The threat had been neutralized. To let everyone know Baby Michael was safe, Sergeant Winn announced over the radio, “Jackpot is good. Suspect is down. Jackpot is good. Suspect is down.”
