Slain Sacramento Police Officer Grew Up In Pleasant Hill; Served As An Explorer With Local Departments

The Sacramento police officer mortally wounded while answering a domestic disturbance call grew up in Pleasant Hill and graduated from College Park High School, according to friends and colleagues.

Tara Christina O’Sullivan, 26, died of her wounds after being transported to a local hospital. Fellow officers and friends said O’Sullivan attended Diablo Valley College and California State University, Sacramento before graduating from the Sacramento Police Academy in December 2018.

Officers noted that the academy is the same one that Davis Police Officer Natalie Corona attended and graduated from in July of last year. Corona was shot and killed while on duty in January of this year.

Acting Martinez Police Lt. Patrick Salamid issued the following on behalf of his department Thursday:

“It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of not only a fellow police officer, but a dedicated former police explorer serving both the Martinez and Pleasant Hill Police Departments.             

“Tara O’Sullivan will always be remembered as a vibrant, energetic and passionate community servant who rose through the ranks as an explorer sergeant and served the community with purpose. 

“She was committed to becoming a police officer and joined the Sacramento Police Department.     

“She was taken from us too soon and she will be missed.”  

Police in Sacramento released a preliminary accounting of events leading up to yesterday’s shooting, saying that their department received a call regarding a disturbance between a male and a female at approximately 11:43 a.m.. Officers made contact with the involved woman at a residence in the 3700 block of Esperanza Drive, according to police.

At approximately 5:41p.m. officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of Redwood Avenue to standby while the involved female gathered some belongings from a residence.

At approximately 6:10 p.m., officers on scene reported shots had been fired, and and O’Sullivan went down in the backyard of a residence open to continued gunfire from the suspect, who police said fired multiple times with a rifle of some type while officers worked to bring an armored vehicle to the scene.

At approximately 6:54 p.m., additional officers responded with an armored vehicle to rescue O’Sullivan, transporting her to a local hospital at 6:59 p.m. where she was declared deceased.

Officers remained on scene and secured a perimeter to contain the suspect who sporadically shot at officers. Throughout this prolonged event, multiple officers returned fire. Officers also evacuated nearby residents in the area.

Officers from the Crisis Negotiation Team eventually established communication with the suspect. Several hours later, at approximately 1:54 a.m., on June 20, 2019, the suspect surrendered and was safely taken into custody. Officers secured the scene for CSI and detectives.

Officer O’Sullivan was hired by the Sacramento Police Department in January of 2018 as a Community Service Officer.

“We are heartbroken for the loss of Tara O’Sullivan, an officer who served our community and the Sacramento Police Department with honor, integrity and commitment. Our hearts and thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues during this tragic time, and we at the City of Sacramento share in their immense grief,” Sacramento City Manager Howard Chan said Wednesday night.