City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications
SRPD News Release: Suspects arrested for gang-related assault and attempted robbery
Suspects arrested for gang-related assault and attempted robbery
On August 29, 2025, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Santa Rosa Police Department officers were dispatched to Santa Rosa Plaza, 235 Santa Rosa Plaza, regarding a victim who had been assaulted inside the mall. Mall security reported the victim was attacked and suffered a significant injury to their face. Officers learned the victim, an 18-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was assaulted by multiple suspects and the assault was likely gang-related.
While waiting in the food court area, the victim was approached by the suspects. One of the suspects tried to force the victim to surrender the expensive shoes he was wearing. The victim did not comply and was then punched in the face by one of the suspects. The victim ran and was chased by one of the suspects. The victim was able to escape and contact mall security. The victim required an ambulance transport to an area hospital, where he was treated for significant facial fractures sustained during the assault. The suspects had fled the mall prior to police arrival, and they were unknown by the victim. It is not believed the victim in this incident is affiliated with a criminal street gang.
The SRPD Gang Crimes Team (GCT) took over the investigation and began developing leads, attempting to identify the assailants. The incident was captured on surveillance cameras and several of the suspects were recognized by GCT detectives. The suspects are believed to be affiliated with a local criminal street gang.
On September 22, 2025, Kolby Butler, a 20-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was arrested and booked into jail for the following offenses:
243(d) PC - Assault with great bodily injury
664/211 PC - Attempted robbery
186.22(a) PC – Criminal street gang participation
186.22(b)(1) PC - Promote/ benefit for criminal street gang
1203.2 PC - Felony violation of probation.
On September 30, 2025, a 17-year-old male resident of Santa Rosa, was arrested and booked into juvenile hall for the following offenses:
243(d) PC - Assault with great bodily injury
664/211 PC - Attempted robbery
186.22(a) PC – Criminal street gang participation
186.22(b)(1) PC - Promote/ benefit for criminal street gang
The third suspect, Matthew Rosser, an 18-year-old resident of Lake County, was located by GCT detectives; however, due to ongoing medical treatment unrelated to this incident, Rossner was not able to be booked into jail. A request was made to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for Rossner to be charged with the following offenses:
243(d) PC - Assault with great bodily injury
664/211 PC - Attempted robbery
186.22(a) PC – Criminal street gang participation
186.22(b)(1) PC - Promote/ benefit for criminal street gang
Reinstated in December 2023 after a prolonged hiatus due to staffing shortages, the Gang Crimes Team consists of four plainclothes detectives and a sergeant dedicated to addressing gang-related offenses within the community and focuses on four key priorities: prevention, intervention, education, and enforcement. In 2024, the GCT seized 82 firearms, 4 3D printers used for firearms manufacturing, and made 30 referrals to the Violence Prevention Partnership. Because of their efforts, the City of Santa Rosa experienced zero gang-related homicides in 2024.
Santa Rosa Police Department case number 25-9562.
Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Travis Menke at 707-543-4021 or tmenke@srcity.org.
