City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications
SRPD News Release:
Homeless man arrested at Howarth Park for possession of firearm.
On 6/09/23, at 2:45 pm, SRPD Officers noticed a suspicious vehicle at Howarth Park. The vehicle had expired registration and a lone occupant appeared to be watching people are the baseball fields. SRPD Officers contacted the occupant and identified him as 21-year-old Santa Rosa homeless resident Alexander Whitfield.
Upon contact with Whitfield Officers observed the handle of a large buck knife near the passenger floorboard. An officer asked Whitfield to step out of the vehicle due to safety concerns. Officers then learned that Whitfield has a history of threatening suicide by cop when dealing with SRPD. Officers quickly detained Whitfield in handcuffs for the safety of all involved. Whitfield immediately told SRPD Officers that he had a gun in his vehicle and he wanted to die.
Officers located the firearm inside a fanny pack in the back seat of Whitfield’s vehicle. The firearm was a loaded .38 special revolver, and it was registered to a different subject in El Cerrito, California. Whitfield was arrested for multiple firearms related penal code violations, and transported to the Sonoma County Jail. SRPD Officers have enlisted the assistance of El Cerrito PD to investigate if the firearm was stolen.
Media Contact:
Sgt. Travis Dunn
(707) 543-4020
or Sgt. Office at
(707) 543-3625
