steven carillo arrest murder police
Booking mugshot courtesy Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office shows 32-year-old suspect Steven Carrillo, an active-duty U.S. Air Force sergeant arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting Santa Cruz Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, and wounding two other officers Saturday. (Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office via AP)

By Martha Mendoza and Stefanie Dazio, AP

An Air Force sergeant and leader in an elite military security force was armed with homemade bombs, an AR-15 rifle and other weapons and had a desire to harm police when he launched a deadly attack on unsuspecting officers, a Northern California sheriff said Monday.

Gunfire and explosives rained down from a hillside Saturday afternoon as Staff Sgt. Steven Carrillo fired from the high ground onto police who scrambled to find cover and defend themselves, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said.

“He was very intent on killing these police officers,” Hart said at a news conference. “They had no idea that they were about to get into this firefight.”

One of Hart’s deputies, Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed. Another deputy was shot in the chest — his bulletproof vest saving him — and suffered shrapnel wounds from an explosive and then was struck by Carrillo’s vehicle as the suspect fled the home.

The deputy, whose name has not been released, was in stable condition and good spirits, Hart said. A California Highway Patrol officer was wounded in the hand.

Carrillo escaped, carjacked a vehicle and tried to carjack several others before being subdued through the herculean efforts of a heroic resident, Hart said.

The man saw Carrillo in his backyard and confronted him. Carrillo, armed with the AR-15, demanded the man’s car keys. The man retrieved the keys, gave them to Carrillo and when Carrillo turned away the man tackled him and the rifle fell away from him.

As they struggled, Carrillo pulled a pipe bomb from his pants and tried unsuccessfully to light it. He then pulled out a pistol and the man was able to knock it out of his hands and then subdue him as neighbors came to help, Hart said.

“This guy could have done a lot more damage in our community,” Hart said.

The man who subdued Carrillo does not want to be publicly identified, Hart said, but he plans to award him a medal.

Carrillo suffered a gunshot wound at some point and was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury.

The FBI also is investigating if Carrillo, 32, has any links to the killing of a federal security officer who was shot outside the U.S. courthouse in Oakland during a protest against police mistreatment of black people on May 29. Authorities said the gunman opened fire from a white van.

On Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call about a suspicious white van in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area outside the beachfront city of Santa Cruz south of San Francisco. The caller said guns and bomb-making devices were inside, Hart said.

When deputies arrived, the van pulled away and they followed. The van went down a driveway at Carrillo’s home, and the driver ambushed the deputies, authorities said.

Afterward, authorities found pipe bombs, multiple firearms, a large amount of ammunition and bomb-making equipment at the hillside, said Hart, who called Carrillo by name at the start of the news conference and then said “I don’t even want to say his name again.”

Neither Hart nor John Bennett, the FBI’s special agent in charge in San Francisco, would provide additional information about the possible nexus between Carrillo and the Oakland shooting.

Carrillo was a team leader for the Phoenix Ravens at Travis Air Force Base northeast of San Francisco, as part of the 60th Security Forces Squadron. The Phoenix Ravens are tasked with protecting aircraft and crews from assaults on airfields “where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter local threats,” according to the Air Force.

Carrillo had no record of disciplinary issues during his military career. He was deployed to Kuwait for four months in 2019, according to the Air Force.

Carrillo’s wife, Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, who also was in the Air Force, was found dead in an off-base hotel in May 2018 while she was stationed in South Carolina. She was 30. Her death was ruled a suicide, according to the Air Force.

Carrillo arrived at Travis Air Force Base the month after her death, the military said. Bennett said it’s believed Carrillo was in California at the time of the suicide and he’s not a suspect.

Carrillo’s arraignment is scheduled for Friday afternoon. He is expected to be charged with first-degree murder.

“It’s very important for Damon’s memory that we get this case right,” Hart said.

A fundraising site for the Gutzwiller’s family set up by the state’s largest law enforcement organization, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, had raised more than $230,000 by Monday afternoon. Gutzwiller is survived by a pregnant wife and one child.

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109 COMMENTS

    • Yes it does, however the execution order must be signed by the POTUS and the last member of the military to actually be executed was in 1961.

        • i agree with the reason Hassan wasn’t executed, it would martyr him in Islam’s eye.

          Let him rot until he dies, and never feel sunshine fall on his face again…

        • Whoa, here! Last I recall, Hassan was completely paralyzed and spending life in prison. Are you suggesting we should put the asshole out of his misery?

      • I thought they hung that muslim who tossed a grenade in a tent at the start of desert storm?
        Either way, he’s toast. They tie the FPS killing to him and he’s facing federal charges on top of state. I would not want to be his appointed lawyer

      • If that execution order lands on Trump’s desk he’ll get that marker pen right out.

    • The military will defer to the California Justice system, they will no doubt just hang him with a BCD and wash their hands of the matter… IF it turns out Carrillo was involved in the killing of the Fed guard in Oakland the U.S. Dept of Justice will take a shot at him and he WILL get the death penalty… and just because he was in California when his wife “suicided” does not mean he was not complicit…

    • Every organization has gone soft of crime so I really doubt it…..
      Even if they were convicted to the death penalty they’d die of old age before it happen!

  2. Its another one of those “white” boogaloo boys! Where is Chief Censor to give us the lowdown?

    • If you squint your eyes just right, you can tell he’s wearing one of those funny tropical shirts, always a dead giveaway. Plus, his skin color is suspiciously light.

      • They referred to him as white male. His skin tone was very similar to the arresting deputies.

        By the way, there are only three “races” of humans: African, European and Asian. Which does the man fit in? Doesn’t look African to me… So, he can’t be BLM, right?

        Oh, florescent lighting also changes skin tone in pictures. Sunlight is much better.

        • I don’t care what his skin color is. I was just poking fun of the people that DO care.

        • The Meyers Konversations-Lexikon was a German encyclopedia that was used from 1839 until 1984. According to its contents, three major human races around the world were recognized. These included Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negroid. Today, four major divisions of the human race are acknowledged. These include Caucasian/White, Mongoloid/Asian, Negroid/Black and Australoid. The United States Census Bureau goes as far as to include six races that it recognizes as living within the U.S. and its territories. These being White, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander… Keep up

        • My, my Antifa is so racist. But hey anything to deflect from what this thug is and who he belongs to.

        • The spreadsheet of races goes all the way through the pacific islands and lumps Hispanics into a single group for expediency sake. Multiply by 3 or more sexual types and that’s a lot of people who get offended easily.

      • Well, people were stating the cops killed were shot by a black angry man. Turns out it was what the feds said it was, which wasn’t a black BLM protester, it was a boogaloo boi from the military (again).

        I find it odd when a military man follows his oath, against those that break it, he gets called a terrorist and needs to be executed immediately. This man was not some infiltrator from a Muslim country like the military base attackers. He was a libertarian going after criminal cops in the state of California. He wanted police brutality to end, the constitution to be followed, gun control gone, etc. That’s what he says he joined the military to fight against [oppressive governments]. He was telling the deputies he must fight the corrupt government police.

        The sheriff did not want to answer when asked if the man was active duty military. He didn’t want to admit what the motivation was and who he was. The sheriff said he will only mention his name once (so people won’t know who he is).

        It’s not a good look for the government to have active military fighting against what they recognize is unconstitutional/unlawful governance. Infighting will be a determent to government continuity. The FBI will not have it. The government rather blame “white supremacist” boogaloo bois than to say it’s the military fighting against the police because they don’t like the police.

        Imagine you have a bunch of Dallas and Baton Rouge shootings throughout the country, but done by light skin males instead of dark skin. Republicans’ minds will shatter and Democrats will use it to get rid of Trump and the Republican majorities.

    • His social media shows him posting about police and having to fight the government. He referred to himself as a libertarian. I believe he took his oath seriously. He admitted to the deputies he was going after cops because that’s what he fights for. He is a boogaloo boi for sure, the don’t tread on me military man.

      I guess you didn’t see his social media nor watched the various arrest videos?

    • Wow what drugs are you on? I expect after an investigation he will be exposed as an Antifa member.

  3. You really can’t fix crazy. The AF didn’t teach him to make pipe bombs. We will never know the full story. Not that it matters. Pull the switch, drop the platform. Either way, make him a memory.

    • Call me a heartless bastage, but I’m going to +1 this comment for 3 reasons:
      1. Dispatching killers sends the right message to other potential murderers.
      2. Killers shouldn’t get to live out their days on our tax-paying dimes.
      3. It just seems right that killers should be killed.

      • Anti, you left out my main reason for supporting the death penalty, it is the *ONLY* absolute guarantee there will be no repeat offenses. Here in TX a few years back we had a bunch of people who escaped from prison, 6 I think. Two were on death row and one was life without parole. Before the sun went down they had murdered a young Austin cop who came across them burglarizing a gun store. If they had all been killed immediately, that cop would still be alive. Then these guys were not caught for months.

    • So any patriot that fights the corrupt deep state needs to be quickly executed and memory holed? Are you a Bernie bro?

    • China executes in days if not hours. one of the very few things they do right. You commit a heinous crime like this and after your convicted your nothing but spare parts.

      Keeps a billion people somewhat in line.

      • And the family of the criminal are billed for the cost of the execution, including the bullet.

        • Unfortunately, most are just innocent Chinese Peasents in the CCP (PRC). Killed for next to nothing…Like under THEIR new “Social Crediting system…” (Re: Chinese political dissidents…AKA , ” Apples 🍎 and oranges 🍊.”)

      • “China executes in days if not hours.”

        Real-world, it takes longer than that.

        Upon conviction, the prisoner gets his tissues type and cross-matched for potential transplant ‘harvest’.

        And when a match occurs, then you get the bullet. You have to admit, it’s a ghastly efficient system. The organs of the condemned provides a service to the Chinese society…

    • Yeah, looking at her pic, she wasn’t ugly. Finally waking up to what he was really like may have pushed her over the edge…

      • He was no where near her. If that is what you are implying. She was in another state.

        • And of course being in another state he couldn’t have had anything to do with it. Yessir, no way to be involved. Yup.

    • Damn those don’t tread on me oath keepers. How dare he watch police abuses and lefty usurpations from the California government and exercise his 2nd Amendment right to secure a free state. He should simply lick the jackboot like a good order follower.

      • More Antifa vomit. These are the people who wish to disarm you and disband the police.

        You really must be a gender studies major if you think you’re fooling anyone.

      • If he wanted to fight the government, he went all wrong about it. Shooting cops in such endeavor is akin to pulling teeth of a rabid dog.

  6. This is pretty creepy stuff, and makes one wonder; how insecure, is the security of our nation? It seems we’ve been internally compromised. . . .

    • No such thing as security, I hate to tell you. Despite all you can do, ultimately, we are all vulnerable to some degree. Some more than others, though none are exempt. If it’s not one thing, it will always be another. The belief therein of the theater of security, is an exercise in fantasy. You can only be prepared for so much, though you should prepare for as much as you can.

      If anything, the violent riot’s & looting of the last week should have given you a clear understanding of exactly how tenuous civilization’s hold truly is. This is not a critique, but merely an observation, & a friendly wake up call.

  7. might have been a suicide, at least the threat is ended. let him suffer imprisonment before lights out.
    and how many times have you disrupted the rifle, avoided the pistol and defused the bomb? straight badass joe, and humble too.
    sounds like a solid tackle.

    • The deputies obviously took credit in the begging. Then the videos were watched by many of the home owner wrestling him and holding on to him as the deputies arrest him.

      The female officer appears to have abandoned her fellow law enforcement to hide in a vehicle as the other male was being attacked and struck with a car. She screamed like it was a horror movie.

  8. We have been insecure for decades. The commies are in control of the Pentagon and the Intelligence Agencies. Clapper and Comey and Esper confirm that. Respond accordingly.

      • Enuf you are the chief censor, just another Soros employee. Tell us about what patriots Esper, Comey, Clapper are.

    • You forgot about Brennan who admitted it, right before he was hired by the CIA.

      “Last week, however, CNN reporter Tal Kopan found a striking admission from CIA Director John Brennan. When he first applied to join the CIA, and received his polygraph test, he was asked this standard question:

      Have you ever worked with or for a group that was dedicated to overthrowing the US?

      Remarking on this last week during a panel discussion at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual conference, Brennan said: “I froze…. This was back in 1980, and I thought back to a previous election where I voted, and I voted for the Communist Party candidate.” Brennan was responding to a question about barriers to recruiting diverse candidates for the intelligence agencies, including whether past records of activism could hurt someone applying for a clearance later in life.”

      Comey admitted to previously being a commie as well:

      He voted for Carter in 1980, but in ’84, “I voted for Reagan—I’d moved from Communist to whatever I am now. I’m not even sure how to characterize myself politically. Maybe at some point, I’ll have to figure it out.”

      • Far too many of these commies in the government. The CIA, FBI are filled with them. State has been compromised since the 40s.

  9. Easy to understand the heroic citizen who stopped this maniac, and the neighbors who helped him, wanting to remain anonymous. They surely do deserve medals though. Like those American soldiers on the train in France, this sounds like an exceptional response to evil at great risk to their own lives.

  11. Sounds like a crazy who decided now was the time to kill people and then hide in the chaos.

    • Not people in general, only cops. He posted on his social media every time he saw an abusive cop hurting protesters and talking bad about boogaloo bois and the 2nd Amendment.

      • Sounds like a nutjob looking for an excuse but at least he is the real deal instead of a keyboard revolutionary line you.

      • In a way, the police are reaping what they were sowing. Eventually there was going to be ONE incident too many and combined with other factors was going to result in community backlash.

        While I don’t condone rioting, looting, or arson, the anger over these events has been boiling for years. The police mindset needs to change. The warrior cop “respect mah authoriteh” types have damaged any remaining community relations beyond repair. Presumption of innocence has been replaced by cuff’em all and play hard cop until you get a confession. Any perceived slight is met with a beating or worse. Even the military doesn’t have such loose rules of engagement.

        • Makes a good story, however … While we agonize over the complete acceptance of violence by police officers, I seem to have missed the explanation of exactly how these guys were fired before sundown and are now awaiting trial for murder. That is not acceptance. Yet we’ve had nationwide riots and looting over the death or *ONE* black man, while 23 were killed Sunday in Chicago alone, and no one seems to care, except even in Chicago they are rioting and looting over the one death in Minneapolis. Bullshit flag.

  12. These citizens reminded of a story Col. Jeff Cooper liked to tell. Air Iberia flight is in transit when a goblin announced a hijacking. The passengers beat him to death. His body was placed in the latrine and the crew opened the bar. I understand a large time was had by all.

  13. You mean there’s three pigs still out there squealing and killing minorities, that he could have taken care of? Too bad.

  14. AFOSI may want to reopen the wife’s suicide case, likely this bubba was involved.

  15. Note that the cops were totally useless — all they did was get shot — and it took an unarmed civilian to stop the guy. Maybe instead of a medal he should get an MRAP.

  16. This dude should be court-martialed and executed for being a traitor to the country…He was acting with an enemy and just declared Terror group..

    • He was fighting for the constitution. I guess these days that makes you a terrorist. No one likes that piece of trash paper. I don’t even know why they haven’t burned it yet.

      • Another Antifa borg telling us what he hopes the Constitution will allow when the revolution comes. Kiddies do not eat Tide Pods or this could be you.

      • Main difference between terrorist and freedom fighter is in being on the winning side.

        • Go visit Cuba for a week (safer than Venezuela) and you’ll discover that is not true. No one would accuse Cuba of being ruled by freedom fighters, or of being free, or of being concerned for the proletariat. A total criminal dictatorship established and maintained by terrorism and death. The people are essentially slaves.

  17. fighting for the constitution huh?.. maybe i missed the part about rights to murder, destroy things not yours and intimidating citizens with violence and mayhem…sounds like terrorism to me..

  18. Seems to me like ANTIFA is radicalizing individuals to be lone wolfs earning their terrorist group designation.

  19. Antifa will do their normal false flag crap, just like white extremists looting the stores. My guess is that these white extremists were blacks who wouldn’t vote for Biden and were magically transformed into whites in the eyes of Antifa. Too bad the evidence shows them to be sons of Obama.

  20. “He was very intent on killing these police officers,” Hart said at a news conference. “They had no idea that they were about to get into this firefight.”

    Cops following a guy driving a van full of guns and bomb making equipment were NOT prepared for an armed confrontation? Bet that won’t happen again… Can you say S.W.A.T team?

    • That supposed sequence of events does make the cops seem rather unaware, doesn’t it?

  21. So a guy mowing his yard in flip flops with 3 beers already down kicked the shit outta the ELITE AF.
    Sounds bout right

  22. “The man saw Carrillo in his backyard and confronted him. . . . when Carrillo turned away the man tackled him and the rifle fell away from him. As they struggled, Carrillo pulled a pipe bomb from his pants and tried unsuccessfully to light it. He then pulled out a pistol and the man was able to knock it out of his hands and then subdue him.:

    Who the fvck was that guy — Chuck Norris?

    “Carrillo’s wife . . . was found dead in an off-base hotel . . . . Her death was ruled a suicide.”

    They might want to reexamine the evidence in that case.

    • Chuck Norris would of just crushed the pipe bomb with one hand while holding him off the ground with the other.

  23. the comments on TTAG have become a dumpster fire of idiocy.

    some of the commenters are either trolls gone wild, or paranoid schizo psych cases. Maybe both. Chief censor comes to mind.

  24. Clearly white hispanic. White, white, white hispanic. Very, very white.

    “White”. As in, “white supremacist-white”. Really very white.

  25. ” Another deputy was shot in the chest — his bulletproof vest saving him — and suffered shrapnel wounds from an explosive and then was struck by Carrillo’s vehicle as the suspect fled the home. ”

    Oh man, that’s what I would call having a bad day.

  26. No worries in New England…The Police Chief in my bros township went full-on Lib TARD during BLM/ANTIFA protests… Going from WPD “SOY to Cuck”…Finally, stopping at full “SIMP….”)

  27. This should have been a swat team action…The Santa Cruz Sheriff Dept. needs to look at how they responded to this action. The Oakland hit was not taken seriously enough, there should have been an immediate correlation made. These Mexican-American, ANTIFA types need to be investigated!!! Why are these people showing up at ANTIFA protest waving Mexican flags? Are these the Obama DACA revolutionary wonders, imported by the tens of thousands and planted all over the Country? WTF is up with the Airforce? Wake up and pull your heads out of your ass…Thanks to the anonymous citizen(s), who were out cleaning up the Air Force’s mess…

  28. Who else is thinking the POS is the one whom made the original call to police in order to commit his ambush attack?

  29. Guy had an AR, pistol and a freakin pipe bomb but got taken out by some unarmed guy in a backyard.

    How “elite” were those elite forces he was a part of, again?

  30. ” elite military security force” There is no such thing in all the Air Farce, only an ignorant person would post this. For the last 20 years the A-F has been in a Retard contest with Navy and America is the loser for it. Nuclear weapons mishaps to collisions with cargo container ships you name it.

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