Police: Man who shot Galt officer was not burglar

GALT — A gunman who fatally shot a police officer before killing himself was not involved in a reported burglary at a nearby duplex, Sacramento County authorities said Wednesday.

Galt Police Officer Kevin Tonn was killed Tuesday when he encountered an armed man in a field near the residence, sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Ramos said in a release.

Tonn and other officers were responding to a call about the burglary when a witness pointed out a possible suspect and Tonn went to question him, Ramos said. The Sheriff’s Department identified the gunman as Humphrey Kenneth Gascon, 30, of Galt.

“We have determined that the deceased suspect is not the same person who was the initial suspect in the burglary call for service,” Ramos said Wednesday.

Authorities did not provide additional information about Gascon.

Tonn, 35, was killed during a fight with the gunman who fired several shots at another officer before killing himself, authorities said. No officers returned fire, and Tonn was the only one injured, Ramos said.

“Unfortunately, this man took extreme measures to try to avoid arrest, which would have likely happened had he been found in possession of the weapon,” the sergeant said.

Gov. Jerry Brown said flags at the Capitol in Sacramento will be flown at half-staff in honor of the slain officer.

“We honor his sacrifice and service, and extend our deep condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” Brown said in a statement.

Tonn, a 3 1/2-year veteran of the Galt Police Department, was a well-respected, proactive member of the department,” Galt police Lt. Jim Uptegrove said.

Tonn was not married and had worked as a medic and firefighter in New York prior to joining Galt police.

Initial police reports indicated the gunman was possibly tied to the burglary because he appeared to be of the same ethnicity and general age range as the suspect described in the burglary call to police, Ramos said.

“Based on those factors, and his close proximity to the reported burglary, it was incumbent for Officer Tonn, as part of his investigation, to contact the man to determine if he was the suspect, or to rule him out,” Ramos said.

Since then, a person related to a resident who owns the property where the theft was reported has been identified as the burglary suspect, Ramos said. His name has not been released.

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting was being handled by sheriff’s homicide detectives as a matter of protocol and because the Galt Police Department is a small agency.

Tonn is survived by his parents, Will Tonn and Mary Ann Tonn of Lincoln, and his sister Julie Carnesi of Roseville.