Reports of shots fired inside Palo Cedro clinic lead to suicide investigation

August 26, 2019 Trevor Montgomery

PALO CEDRO — Reports of shots being fired from inside a Palo Cedro business led to the discovery of a man who apparently committed suicide Sunday afternoon, Aug. 25. According to officials the fatal incident happened at Smith Chiropractic inside the Palo Cedro Shopping Center at 9372 Deschutes Rd., between Old Hwy 44 and SR-44.

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Deputies were dispatched to the clinic at 3:48 p.m., after Shascom received calls reporting hearing gun fire from inside the business, Shasta County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Gonzalez later reported.

One of the 911 callers reported that she had received an unusual text from her employer and she went to the business to check on him.

“After opening the front door she heard gunshots and ran to a neighboring business and called 911,” Gonzalez said.

Another 911 caller, a Cal-Fire employee who is stationed a short distance from the chiropractic clinic, also reported hearing two gun shots, according to Gonzalez.

Based on the circumstances, deputies requested assistance from California Highway Patrol and Cal-Fire law enforcement officers, who helped establish a perimeter around the business.

Deputies with guns drawn eventually entered the business “and found a male with, what appeared to be, a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the Sgt. explained; saying, “No one else was found inside or injured.”

After the business was secured, medical personal entered and pronounced the man deceased.

The victim’s name has not been released, pending further investigation and notification of the man’s family.

Gonzalez did not specify if deputies located a suicide note or have uncovered any reason for the man to take his own life.

Shasta County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office later responded to the scene to assist with the investigation, which is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Shasta County Sheriff’s Office at 530-245-6025 Callers can refer to incident file number 19S031677 and can remain anonymous.

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.