Retired Sac Metro Firefighter fatally shot by police

Suicide by cop? The Fair Oaks man fatally shot by police was a 55 year old retired firefighter

LINCOLN, Calif.—Authorities say a retired firefighter who was fatally shot by police in the Northern California city of Lincoln first aimed a pellet rifle at police.

Rocklin Police Sgt. Forrest Richardson says Gregory Gifford of Fair Oaks robbed a mini-mart early Thursday. The 54-year-old took a candy bar and demanded cash with what appeared to be a pistol, but left without taking any cash.

He says CHP officers spotted Gifford's car about 15 minutes later and pursued him into a dead-end street.

Jill Thompson, a Lincoln city spokeswoman, says officers shot Gregory Gifford of Fair Oaks in self defense around 1:15 Thursday morning after he allegedly jumped from his car holding a pellet gun. She says he had been cornered by police following a chase. He died at the scene.

Thompson says California Highway Patrol and Rocklin police officers pursued Gifford after the CHP suspected his car was involved in a convenience store candy bar robbery.

The names of the officers involved in the chase have not been released. The Rocklin officers have been placed on administrative leave, which authorities say is standard procedure following a fatal shooting.

A Sacramento fire department official says Gifford took early retirement after injuring his back about 15 years ago.

Update:

Widow says slain ex-firefighter had been depressed

The wife of a retired Sacramento County firefighter who was shot and killed by police on New Year's Day in Lincoln said her husband was depressed and missed his former job.

Gregory Gifford was forced into retirement several years ago by a back injury he'd sustained on the job, his wife, Mary Gifford, said Saturday. Not being able to be a firefighter and paramedic was part of the reason for his depression, she said.

"Gregory loved his job," Gifford said. "That was his life."

Gregory Gifford was shot to death early Thursday after allegedly holding up a mini-mart with a handgun, leading authorities on a chase in his Toyota sedan and then leveling what appeared to be a rifle at police and California Highway Patrol officers.

Both of the Fair Oaks man's weapons later proved to be pellet guns, authorities said.

Gifford's daughter Alyse Gifford said her father left a suicide note.

"He was a good man," Mary Gifford said, but was depressed and sick.

Gregory Gifford, 54, worked for the Sacramento County Fire District, now part of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

Mary Gifford said her husband first hurt his back lifting an unresponsive 300-pound man through a window during a medical call. He was injured a second time while he was fighting a grass fire, she said.

About 15 years ago, while assigned to light duty, his office chair broke. After that, doctors said his back injury wasn't going to improve, Mary Gifford said.

Authorities said they spotted Gregory Gifford early Thursday, driving a Toyota sedan that matched the description of a car involved in the robbery in Rocklin. Witnesses told police that a man armed with what looked like a pistol held up the AM/PM Mini-Mart at Stanford Ranch Road and Fairway Drive about 1 a.m.

They told police the man grabbed a candy bar and demanded cash from a clerk. He then fled the store, leaving the money behind, Rocklin police said.

About 15 minutes later, CHP officers spotted the suspect's Toyota sedan in Lincoln. CHP chased the Toyota and were joined by Rocklin police. The brief chase ended on a dead-end street with the man jumping out holding what appeared to be a rifle.

It's not clear which officers fired the shots that killed Gifford or if he opened fire first, Lincoln spokeswoman Jill Thompson.

"That's all part of the investigation," which is ongoing, Thompson said.

Gifford died at the scene.

Source: SacBee - Link