The suspect accused of fatally shooting Sacramento police officer Tara O’Sullivan sought treatment at an area hospital on Sunday after “slamming his head” against a bed frame in his jail cell.
Deputies witnessed Adel Sambrano Ramos — who has been under 24-hour observation at Sacramento County’s downtown jail and has not had any other inmate contact — hitting his head, then removed him from the cell and restrained him. His injuries, however, prompted deputies to send him to a local hospital.
Ramos has since returned to downtown’s jail, where he is now on the “psych floor,” according to sheriff’s spokesperson Tess Deterding.
The 45-year-old was booked last Wednesday morning after police say he ambushed O’Sullivan and a fellow officer, then fired at more officers with an illegal AR-15 style assault-rifle during an hours-long standoff.
Police took O’Sullivan to the UC Davis Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead early Thursday morning. A memorial service is scheduled later this week.
Ramos is set for arraignment Monday afternoon. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office says he is expected to appear despite the hospitalization.
Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn joined Insight to discuss Ramos' situation and the status of the investigation into O'Sullivan's death.
More information is coming out about the circumstances surrounding O'Sullivan's death. After she was shot, she was left in the backyard for about 45 minutes before officers could reach her.
Hahn said the suspected shooter had officers pinned down with little protection. Once an armored vehicle was brought in, officers were able to retrieve O'Sullivan, but then got stuck trying to get out.
"It was a horrific scene and under the most trying of circumstances," Hahn said. "I've been doing this for 32 years and been involved in many incidents and I've never seen one like this."
The standoff lasted seven and a half hours. Hahn addressed the decision not to use teargas.
"That's always an option that incident commanders have," Hahn said. "But, you have to ask yourself if somebody's shooting at you with a high-powered rifle and you have to consider the consequences of any action such as shooting teargas in there, what would come next? So, those are all decisions people have to make at that moment."
Hahn says it has been tough on officers who were involved in the incident and that the O'Sullivan family has been very supportive of the department during this time.
Hahn also said the O'Sullivan family has been very supportive.
"As you might imagine, if any of us had this happen in our families, how we would feel," Hahn said. "But, they're an amazingly strong family. They're actually concerned about us when they lost their daughter and their sister. So, it's tough."
Crime scene investigators continue to process hundreds of pieces of evidence at the home where O'Sullivan was shot and killed last week. Hahn says they may be there through the week.
