Details surrounding Davis police officer shooting continue to emerge, suspect identified
By Gabe Lee, Tess McIntyre and Claire Stevens,
BlueDevilHUB.com Editors-
The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect of the killing of Davis police officer Natalie Corona in a press release on Jan. 12. The Davis Enterprise reported that the suspect, Kevin Douglas Limbaugh, 48, believed that the Davis police office aimed “ultra sonic waves” at him for years before the shooting on Jan. 10, according to a letter found in the suspect’s home.
Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel and public information officer Lt. Paul Doroshov released new details of the shooting of a Davis police officer at a press conference on Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Pytel stated that the suspect was on bike and approached officer Natalie Corona, shooting her at least once in the neck among other places.
Police are now describing the attack as an ambush.
The officers also confirmed that the suspect fled to his E street residence after the attack, where a roommate who was also home found him. At one point in the night, the suspect exited, wearing a bulletproof vest, firing shots. He then returned inside and a loud bang was heard from within, police said.
Police used a robot with a camera to enter the residence, at which point they discovered the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The officers also declined to provide identifying information about the subject, stating they were waiting for authorization from the coroner.
Just after 7 on the night of Jan. 10, 22 year-old Davis police officer Corona was shot and killed after responding to a traffic accident near the intersection of 5th and D streets. As Corona was taken to UC Davis medical center in Sacramento a manhunt for the the shooter ensued.
At 1:29 a.m. on Jan. 11, the Davis police Twitter account announce the suspect was found dead of what appeared to be a self inflicted gunshot wound.
As of 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 the identity of the suspect had not been released.
Corona, a 2014 Pierce High School graduate, started as a community service officer in 2016, graduated from the academy this August, and had concluded her six month training period at the Davis Police Department in December, according to Pytel.
At her swearing in ceremony in August, Corona’s father, former Colusa County sergeant and recently elected Colusa County Supervisor Merced Corona, was able to pin her badge (Photo/Source: Williams Pioneer Review).
Pytel described Corona as a “rising star” in the department. Pytel also noted that many department members described Corona as close friend, daughter and sister.
A candlelit vigil for the slain officer is scheduled to take place at Central park from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 12.
Parts of 5th street were blocked off during the day on Jan 11.
At a media brief on Jan. 11 Davis police public information officer Lt. Paul Doroshov reported that the primary homicide investigation had been turned over to the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department. At the later Jan. 11 press conference at 6:30 p.m., the officers also stated that the California Department of Justice was handling the crime scene at the house.
Effects on DHS
The robotics team was meeting at Davis High when students began to receive notification via their phone about the situation downtown on Jan. 10. According to robotics head mentor Steve Harvey, the classroom door was locked in response.
According to Harvey, Principal Tom McHale arrived and the approximately 100 students and mentors present were instructed to leave in cars and contact parents for a ride if they had biked. McHale was instructed to evacuate campus by deputy superintendent Matt Best.
Harvey says students began leaving at approximately 8 p.m. and McHale watched to see students make it to their cars.
McHale confirmed to the HUB that robotics was the only group on campus Thursday night. Athletic teams that usually would be practicing and night school students had left campus due to a power outage earlier in the evening.
At 8:27, a Davis Joint Unified School District Facebook post announced DHS, the District Office, Davis School For Independent Study, North Davis Elementary School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School were closed for the night.
DHS junior Joe Vogel reports that he and teammates were driving home from a soccer team dinner near 5th and C streets when they heard gunshots and saw firemen duck for cover.
“I heard the first shot and then we all kinda stopped for a second, and as we heard more we were certain that that was not just a normal occurance and we were hearing gunshots and so we all got in overdrive mode and started focusing.” Vogel said. The students then drove away from where they heard the shots.
