By Zhuoshan Liu
SACRAMENTO – Daniel Bingenheimer was going to commit suicide in June of 2019 in a walnut orchard near River Bend Park and Rod Beaudry Drive, but opened fire when law enforcement tried to arrest him, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.
No one was injured—there is only a bullet piercing a ranger truck.
“It changes the game entirely for us. Officers are now in fear for their life—rightfully so. Approach it differently and do whatever we need to do to stop that threat,” said an SSD spokesperson.
This incident started around 12:30 p.m. It was right after the deputies received reports of a suicidal person in the 2600 block of Tierra Grande Circle.
“During the course of their investigation, officers developed information that the suspect was armed with a gun and made threats to harm law enforcement and members of the general public,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
According to Rachel Wulff from CBS Sacramento’s report, “in this case, the threat was stopped without any return fire from deputies. Authorities say Bingenheimer surrendered…with help of his mother. He is being charged with assault with a firearm on a peace officer.”
In Sacramento County Superior Court Wednesday, the attorney for defendant Bingenheimer, now facing three felony assault charges, pointed out that Bingenheimer has now been mentally stable for 10 months, but reportedly suffers from mental health problems.
Defense counsel asked that he be released because he will be able to get a better treatment plan outside of jail, where he’s been for more than a year.
DDA Gregory Hayes was opposed to release, suggesting he could better get mental health counseling in jail and that he was a great threat to public safety.
Defense counsel said the defendant was distraught over losing his son, and had marital problems. He’s better now, counsel said, adding that in the incident he fired only one shot.
After consideration and asking for more detailed information, the judge pointed out that the nature of the charge was uncomfortable for him. He sent the defendant back to jail on $150,000 bail, and set another hearing for Aug. 27. The trial is set for late September.
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