San Andreas, CA…On May 6 2021 at approx. 10:39 pm Calaveras County Deputy Sheriffs were investigating a domestic violence call where several uninvolved witnesses reported a male pointing a firearm at a female at the Sierra Inn Motel in San Andreas, California. Both the suspect and victim had already left the Motel and were gone when the Deputy Sheriff arrived. Deputies were able to determine the identity of the subjects involved. Multiple CCSO Deputies checked several locations around the San Andreas area for the suspect for the next approximately 45 minutes.

The Sheriff’s Office located an address for the female victim which led Deputy Sheriff Jonathan Brown (14 months of service) to the Diamond Place Apartment complex in San Andreas to ensure her wellbeing. The victim, whose name is being withheld due to confidentiality laws was known to the Sheriff’s Office. The suspect did not have prior contacts with the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and was therefore not immediately recognizable by Deputy Brown.

While Deputy Brown was interviewing the victim in the parking lot of the apartment complex, multiple shots were fired and one shot struck Deputy Brown. Neither the Deputy nor the victim were aware of where the shots came from due to the suspect ambushing them from the darkness. Another deputy responding to the scene located Deputy Brown and transported him in a patrol vehicle a short distance to a local hospital for emergency medical aid.

Additional Deputies, an Angles Camp Police Officer and CHP Officers arrived on scene and set up a perimeter while also searching for the suspect. Unbeknownst to the law enforcement officers on scene, the suspect had forcibly entered an unrelated apartment and taken a 75-year-old uninvolved female as a hostage. The suspect forced the female to exit her apartment while holding a firearm up against her body. It should be noted the 75-year-old female was physically disabled and was using a “walker” to assist her as she exited the apartment with the suspect standing directly behind her with a handgun using her as a human shield.

The hostage-taker began advancing toward the law enforcement officers on scene while hiding behind the 75-year-old female hostage. At this point, the Deputies were already aware that a Deputy Sheriff had been shot by the suspect who was now a hostage-taker. They observed the suspect with a firearm who was moving the hostage toward the Deputies who were in an elevated parking lot. Due to differences in elevation, the hostage-taker and victim were partially concealed from the Deputies. In addition, a large concrete retaining wall and a large, long metal railing were also partially concealing the hostage-taker and victim. The Deputies were in fear for the safety of the hostage, themselves, and other residents of the apartment complex. As the hostage-taker attempted to force the victim up a concrete stairway, the suspect was shot by a deputy sheriff which caused the suspect to separate from the hostage and fall down. The suspect got back up onto his feet and appeared to fire one shot towards the Deputies before being shot again. The suspect attempted to get up a third time and was shot again. The suspect was pronounced deceased by the emergency medical personnel at the scene. While the Sheriff’s Office Rick DiBasilio, Sheriff takes any loss of life seriously, the hostage-taker’s clear and direct actions put himself, the deputies, the hostage, and numerous nearby residents in danger by his actions alone.

A handgun was recovered from the immediate area of the suspect which was identified as being consistent with the handgun described by the original witnesses at the Sierra Inn as well as by Deputies. Additionally, four empty casing have been recovered and are believed to be associated with the suspect’s weapon.

During the shooting, several of the officer’s rounds struck the large metal railing and elevated concrete retaining wall. Both fragmentation and ricochet occurred in the immediate area of the hostage. The hostage appears to have been struck by both fragmentation and ricocheting rounds from law enforcement firearms however, evidence is still be analyzed. It is also unknown at this time if the hostage-taker shot the victim after being shot by law enforcement. Those results are pending further investigation.

The hostage-taker has been identified as Mark Aitulagi Lavea 47 years old from Modesto California. Suspect Lavea has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1989. He had numerous felony and misdemeanor arrests and convictions for crimes including but not limited to, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, (firearm on a person), Burglary, Discharge of a Firearm in a Negligent Manner, Burglary, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Child Cruelty Injury/Death, Elder/Dependent Abuse, Felony Battery with Serious Bodily Injury, Carry a Concealed Firearm, Carrying a Loaded Firearm, Possession/ Manufacture/ Sell Dangerous Weapon, Violation of Parole, Domestic Violence, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Possession of Controlled Substances for Sale, Domestic Violence, Violation of Parole, Transportation of a Controlled Substance, False Impersonation of a Another Person, Providing False ID to a Peace Officer, Possession of Controlled Substance, Violation of Probation, Auto theft, Possession of Stolen Property, Auto Theft, Domestic Violence/ Corporal Injury to Spouse/Cohabitant, Violation of Parole. The suspect’s criminal history summary is 14 pages in length. Most recently, in 2019 the suspect was convicted of Domestic Violence and sentenced to 6 years in state prison. Refer to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation regarding prison sentences as the Sheriff’s Office does not have any authority or oversight in determining early release dates.

In addition, there was an unserved domestic violence restraining order on the suspect that was just recently issued on April 20, 2021. The suspect had been the restrained party in previous domestic violence restraining orders, as well.

Other CCSO Deputies involved in the subsequent shooting include Deputy Michael Jericoff (2 years of service), Deputy Nicholas Riviera (2 years of service), Deputy Mark Silvia (1.5 years of service), Deputy Brandon Buie (14 months of service), and an officer from the Angels Camp Police Department. In accordance with policy all Deputies involved in the officer-involved shooting have been placed on administrative leave as a standard protocol which is routine in this type of incident. Deputy Brown was treated at an area trauma center and has since been released from the hospital.

CCSO would like to thank the witnesses who called to report that they saw the suspect pointing the gun at the female. It is important to stand up for victims of domestic violence who may otherwise not report crimes and abuse.

This is an ongoing investigation no further information is available at this time.

Source = CCSO