Kenwood shooting suspect kills self

One person wounded in domestic incident|

The suspect who shot a person in Kenwood Friday afternoon, and later killed himself, was identified as 56-year-old Randall Allen Farris of Kenwood.

According to a release by Lt. Tim Duke with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a 911 call from a residence in the 2000 block of Adobe Canyon Road in Kenwood at about 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. The caller reported that a shooting had occurred at the residence.

Duke said that three people were in the residence, Farris and two victims that the Sheriff’s Office didn’t identify.

The incident was initiated by a recent break-up in a domestic relationship between Randall and one of the victims. The situation at the residence became volatile when Randall displayed a firearm from his jacket pocket, and said something similar to, “Which one of you wants to die first?”

Duke said Victim One, fearing for the safety of Victim Two, engaged Randall in a physical confrontation to gain control of the firearm. During the confrontation, Randall shot Victim One multiple times. After being shot, Victim One continued to fight with Randall and was able to turn the barrel of the firearm toward Randall and fire multiple rounds, two of which struck Randall.

As Victim One and Randall were fighting, Victim Two drove to a neighbor’s to call 911.

While deputies and emergency medical personnel responded to the residence, it was reported that the suspect fled the scene in a black Nissan Pathfinder. A “Be on the Lookout,” or BOLO, was broadcast to local law enforcement agencies, in an effort to locate the Nissan.

Duke said a Sheriff’s deputy and Santa Rosa police officer saw a black Nissan Pathfinder close to the intersection of Highway 12 at Melita Road. The driver of the Nissan matched the description of the suspect.

The deputy and officer made a traffic stop on the Nissan on Melita Road near Susan Lane and ordered Randall out of the vehicle at gunpoint. Randall got out of the vehicle with a firearm in his right hand but never pointed it at the officers. The officers ordered the man to drop the firearm and get on the ground. Randall refused and got back into the Nissan and drove on Melita Road at a slow speed, while the officers followed.

While following the Nissan, officers heard a “pop” that was described as a gunshot they believed came from inside the Nissan. Immediately following the “pop,” the Nissan veered off the roadway, down a culvert, through vegetation and collided into a residence. The collision into the residence caused the airbags to deploy.

As the officers approached the Nissan, they saw Randall slumped over the steering wheel in the driver’s seat with a gunshot wound to the right side of his head.

Duke said the officers summoned EMS and began administering first aid. Randall remained alive at the scene and was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

A firearm and single expended casing (of matching caliber) was located inside the Nissan. Duke said it’s believed that Randall shot himself in the head, which was the “pop” sound the officers heard.

The Sheriff’s Office said because the incident involved a domestic relationship the victims’ identities will not be disclosed.

Duke said Victim One is expected to recover from the injuries, while Victim Two sustained no injuries.

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