Victim in Hoopa officer involved shooting was on Trinity County's Most Wanted and Caught

Richard Keith Kelly was on Trinity's Most Wanted-Caught

w.trinitycounty.org/index.aspx?page=257#RICHARD KEITH KELLEY

RICHARD KEITH KELLEY

Charge: 1ST Degree Residential Robbery; 1st Degree Residential Burglary; Assault by Means Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury.
Warrant Amount: NO BAIL ALLOWED >>CAUGHT<<Case Number: 14F143C
Alias: none listed
DOB: 06/04/1988
Sex: Male
Race: White
Height: 6’02”
Weight: 185
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Scars/Marks/Tattoos: None listed
Last Known Address: Willow Creek CA
Posted: July 31, 2014 >>CAUGHT<<

HCSO Press-Release:

On Friday, September 04, 2015 at about 7:30 p.m. Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Deputies contacted a 39 year old male gunshot victim in front of the Rays Food Place in Hoopa. The victim told the deputies he was shot in the leg by 27 year old, Richard Keith Kelley. The victim said he confronted Kelley, because Kelley was driving a vehicle that belonged to him. The victim said after Kelley shot him he stole his motorcycle that the victim had driven to Rays Food Place. The victim’s gunshot wound was not life threating.

At about 8:30 p.m. a Hoopa Tribal Police Department Officer saw the suspect and stolen motorcycle traveling north bound on Highway 96, in the Hoopa area. The Officer then attempted a felony traffic enforcement stop on the motorcycle, but the driver refused to pull over. The Officer then pursed the motorcycle northbound on Highway 96 until it reached the Weitchpec Bridge in Weitchpec. The driver of the motorcycle then lost control of the motorcycle and crashed on Highway 96 just north of the Highway 169 intersection.

The driver of the motorcycle later identified as Richard Keith Kelley then immediately started firing multiple gunshots at the officer. Some of the bullets fired by Kelley struck the officers patrol vehicle. The officer then fired gunshots towards Kelley with his duty weapon in self-defense of his life. Kelley was struck by rounds fired by the Tribal Police Officer and was later pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel. The Tribal Officer was not injured in the exchange of gunshots.

Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was activated and responded to the scene investigate the officer involved shooting.  Members of the CIRT who responded included the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Humboldt State University Police Department, Eureka Police Department and the Fortuna Police Department.

The Tribal Police Department Officer has been placed on paid Administrative leave until CIRT completes their investigation. An autopsy has been scheduled for Kelley on Friday, September 18, 2015 in Eureka.