MENDOCINO Co., 7/23/2021 — A shooting victim was found dead at a property north of Laytonville early Friday morning, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MSCO), and two individuals have been detained after a lengthy search that left one deputy injured. During the investigation, deputies also discovered cannabis greenhouses and gardens on the parcel.
A caller reported hearing gunshots around 1:45 a.m. in the 50000 block of Bell Springs Road. He reportedly found a man with a gunshot wound who stopped breathing at some point, and deputies responding to the scene found his remains about an hour later at 2:54 a.m.
So far the deceased has only been described as a Hispanic adult male with an apparent gunshot wound to the leg.
During a search of the greenhouses and outdoor areas of the farm an individual was allegedly spotted fleeing down the hill, prompting a search that included assistance from a California Highway Patrol helicopter out of Redding. They detained two people sometime after 6 a.m.
The sheriff’s office is reporting that one deputy had to be evacuated by ambulance after falling and suffering a leg injury during the search, but the injury is not thought to be life threatening. County of Mendocino Marijuana Enforcement Team (COMMET) and the major crimes task force are currently looking into the legal status of the grow operation, but no other information is being released at this time.
Here’s the press release from MCSO:
DATE: “July 23, 2021”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
2021-18270Crime/Incident:
Homicide InvestigationLocation:
50000 block of Bell Springs Road in Leggett, CADate of Incident:
07-23-2021Time:
1:30 AMVictim(s):
Adult MaleSuspect(s):
N/AWritten By:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten #1184Synopsis:
On 07-23-2021 at 1:30 AM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a call of a potential shooting at a property located in the 50000 block of Bell Springs Road in Leggett, California.While Deputies were responding to the location, the caller reported hearing gunshots and subsequently found an adult male with an apparent gunshot wound. It was also reported the adult male was not breathing.
Deputies arrived at the location at approximately 2:54 AM and located a deceased Hispanic adult male who appeared to have a gunshot wound to the leg.
Deputies also noticed the presence of growing marijuana in greenhouses and in outdoor settings on the property.
A protective sweep of the property was conducted in an attempt to locate any additional victim(s) of the shooting. Deputies requested the assistance of air resources from the California Highway Patrol.
At approximately 3:57 AM a Deputy noticed the presence of an individual running downhill on the property which prompted a search for this individual.
At approximately 6:00 AM, CHP Helicopter H14 from Redding (CA) was able to arrive on scene and assist with the search efforts. During this time H14 was able to locate two individuals who then were detained by Deputies on the ground.
During this search effort a Deputy sustained a leg injury from a fall and had to be evacuated by ambulance to a local hospital for medical evaluation/treatment for a significant but non-life threatening injury.
Sheriff’s Detectives were summoned to the scene and are conducting follow-up investigations into the incident.
Personnel from the County of Mendocino Marijuana Enforcement Team (COMMET) and Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force (MMCTF) were also summoned to the scene to investigation the legality of the marijuana growing operation found on the property.
No additional information is available at this time due to the active ongoing investigations.
Another press release will be issued when additional information becomes available that can be releasable to the public.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten #1184
I take the changing of the name of Fort Bragg personally. Fort Bragg is the town that I grew up in. Fort Bragg is my heritage and I am proud of my heritage and being part of Fort Bragg. We never had slaves, nor did anyone else have slaves in Fort Bragg.
Changing the name of Fort Bragg would be like someone asking me to change my name because some long lost relative had done something negative in the past. Since I had nothing to do with that long lost relative and since it was way in past I certainly would not be willing to change my name because someone found my name to be the same as that long lost relative. The same principle applies here. Braxton Bragg died in 1869 a very very long time ago. He never set foot in Fort Bragg so he was never part of the people or the community of Fort Bragg. Many people did not even know who Braxton Bragg was. He was never honored nor was he celebrated. Fort Bragg did not ever represent Braxton Bragg.
Fort Bragg represents an upstanding and rich cultural community that has existed for over 100 years. Fort Bragg represents the industrious logging and fishing people of this special coastal community. It is these people that we wish the honor.. It is the community that they created called Fort Bragg that we wish to honor.
So when you attempt to change the name of Fort Bragg you are insulting me and you are insulting my family and the families of many of my friends .
Our history is a proud history and I will not let any supposed cancel culturists destroy my heritage and my fond memories and destroy a town that I am proud to call my home.
We were not part of a time in history that you choose to resurrect to damn the name of a town that had no connection to events of the past. You are denigrating and disparaging those honorable men and women that created and built the beautiful community of Fort Bragg. Leave these people alone and leave Fort Bragg alone.
The past is exactly that… the past.
Leave the past in the past and move forward with your life. Don’t attempt to destroy the lives of the great residents of Fort Bragg because you found a man named Braxton Bragg that died over 100!years ago, never set foot once in Fort Bragg and had been involved he Confederate army This man is LONG DEAD and does not now nor ever has represented the values of the people of Fort Bragg.
Fort Bragg does represent me and my family and many other respectable people of the Mendocino Coast.
So instead of insulting the people of Fort Bragg and their families and people that built Fort Bragg into the spectacular town and community that it is today I ask that you let the past go, celebrate Fort Bragg for the wonderful town and people that it is today.
Don’t whitewash history, learn from it and move on, move forward, but above all don’t insult me, as I take such insults very seriously. I will defend my town and I will defend my towns people and I will defend the my long family heritage in the beautiful town called Fort Bragg.
LEAVE FORT BRAGG ALONE!!!