End of Watch: June 19, 2019
Our sister, friend, daughter, Tara was a shining star passionately serving our community. On June 19, 2019, the Sacramento Police Department received a call regarding a disturbance between a male and a female. Officers made contact with the involved female at a residence. While trying to help the female gather her belongings, the officers found that the suspect’s front door of the main residence was barricaded and unable to be opened. Believing that the suspect may possibly be at the home, the officers tried to locate him, moved to the backyard of the residence and approached a detached garage. Once at the door of this garage, at approximately 6:10 p.m., the officers were ambushed from behind and were fired upon by a high-powered rifle. Officer O’Sullivan was hit by gunfire at this time. She was struck multiple times by rifle rounds and one injury was non-survivable.
Throughout this incident, the suspect fired sporadically at officers for more than four hours from 6:10 p.m. to 10:29 p.m., on at least 30 separate occasions.
Officer O’Sullivan succumbed to her injuries after being transported to the hospital. The suspect was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on charges relating to the murder of Officer O’Sullivan.