Downtown Redding chase, shots fired, end with one arrested

REDDING — Authorities say a man was arrested after allegedly chasing two people while shooting at them with a shotgun in downtown Redding Saturday, Aug. 24. The dangerous, high-speed chase – which covered about two miles – ended when the victims crashed their SUV into a building at the intersection of Market and Tehama streets. 

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Officers from the Redding Police Department responded to a call of shots being fired, “after SHASCOM received a frantic 911 phone call from a woman saying she was being shot at in the Downtown Redding area,” Redding Police Sgt. Brian Torum  said after the incident and arrest.

Officers flooded the downtown area and eventually found an abandoned Chevy Tahoe that had crashed into a building at the intersection of Market and Tehama streets. While searching the area, officers located two victims fleeing on foot several blocks away from the scene of the crash.

During their subsequent investigation, officers learned the victims, who have not been publicly identified, were in the area of the 1500 block of Nancy Court in Redding when a man confronted them.

According to the victims, the alleged suspect, who was later identified as Kevin Butcher, 40 years of Redding, was armed with a shotgun and began chasing them in his vehicle.

Torum did not specify what led to the chase or shooting or why the alleged suspect began shooting at the victims.

“The victims said that as the two vehicles sped through town, Butcher shot from his vehicle at them with a shotgun,” Torum explained. “Trying to flee from the gunfire at a high rate of speed, the victims ultimately crashed their vehicle.”

“Fearing they would continue taking gunfire, the victims fled on foot and were located by officers a few moments later,” said Torum.

Officers arrested Kevin Butcher after he allegedly shot at two people with a shotgun while chasing them through downtown Redding. Redding PD photos

As their investigation continued, officers located Butcher, who was still armed with a loaded shotgun “that matched the description of the gun provided by the victims,” according to Torum. 

“Witnesses and evidence located by officers supported the victims’ account of what occurred,” the Sgt. continued.

Based on their investigation and witness statements, officers arrested Butcher for assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm at an occupied motor vehicle. He was later booked into Shasta County Jail.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Redding PD at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 19R54856 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.