Yuba City police identify officer in fatal shooting
A Yuba City police officer who shot and killed a homicide suspect on Valentine's Day has been identified.
The police department confirmed that Sgt. Chad Lizardo was the officer who opened fire on Steven George Williams on Franklin Avenue just minutes after police said Williams killed two women Feb. 14 at a home in the 600 block of B Street.
Lizardo has been placed on paid administrative leave and was not available for comment, police spokeswoman Shawna Pavey said.
Police declined to release recordings of the 911 calls from the Valentine’s Day double homicide.
“The 911 calls pertaining to this case are currently being utilized as evidence in this active police investigation and are not releasable at this time,” Pavey said.
The Sutter County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the specific circumstances surrounding the officer-involved shooting.
District Attorney Carl Adams said Tuesday he will release his determination into whether or not Lizardo was justified in shooting Williams.
“We’re preparing (reports) that we hope to make available some time this week,” Adams said.
Adams was first elected district attorney in 1982 and, since that time, all officer-involved shootings in Sutter County have been deemed justified, he said.
Police said on Valentine’s Day, Williams killed Janis Lyn Williams and Kimberly Ann Yancey and shot another woman, Christie Jones, as she tried to escape with two young children.
The motive behind the double-homicide has not been released.
Williams left the house still armed, police said, and was tracked to Franklin Avenue by Lizardo.
Police have not said if Williams was still armed when he was killed.
Lizardo joined the department in May, 2001 and was named Police Officer of the Year in 2006, according to Appeal-Democrat archives.
During his tenure with the department, Lizardo has been assigned to regular patrol, motorcycle patrol, the SWAT team and the street gang unit.
CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.
