Man holding knife shot, killed by deputies in Rio Linda
RIO LINDA - A man holding a knife was shot and killed by deputies after they say they responded to a report of a suicidal subject in Rio Linda Saturday morning.
The Sacramento Sheriff's Office said it received a report of a suicidal subject, later identified as 38-year-old Christopher Gilmore, around 8:15 a.m. on the 6500 block of Campanile Street. During the report, Christopher's sister reported her brother has schizophrenia.
"He was hurting himself so I came over to see what was going on and he was bleeding and unresponsive in the bathtub," said Bobbie Gilmore, Christopher's sister.
The Sacramento Metro Fire Department staged near the scene until deputies could arrive.
Shortly after deputies arrived, they said they found a man in a garage holding a knife. Deputies said they tried to negotiate with Christopher but he exited the garage and was approaching deputies who were on the street.
"He was walking straight out across the street to me because they were telling him to come out. I said, 'Come on brother, let them help you' and they started shooting him with rubber bullets and he started to fall and then they shot him with a real gun after he was falling already and they killed him," Bobbie said.
The sheriff's office said Christopher was hit by less lethal shotgun rounds but said this was not effective as he continued to advance toward deputies.
"I didn't feel like the guy was a threat at all. I feel like the guy needed help," a witness who did not want to be identified said.
Christopher got within several feet of deputies, they said, and this is when deputies fired shots at him. He was hit several times and deputies said they applied tourniquets and a chest seal until fire personnel arrived. But Gilmore died at the scene.
"He loves his kids and my daughters. His nieces, he loves them so much and they're heartbroken right now for him because he didn't deserve this he was a good guy," Bobbie said.
The sheriff's office said they try every mitigating factor they can before resorting to lethal force.
Christopher was arrested by police in Folsom on March 17 for DUI, resisting arrest, vandalism and possession of a controlled substance. He was released on his own recognizance on March 19.
He was a father of four.
