By | Robert Brown

While investigating a report of a fight in downtown Arcata, Saturday morning at 1:27 a.m., officers from Arcata police and Humboldt State University police approached 26-year-old Erwin Eugene Sweat, Jr., who was sitting in a nearby car.

A dash camera recorded Sweat getting out of the car and firing two shots at the officers, one hitting University police officer Louis Altic in the right leg. Both officers Altic and Arcata police officer Matthew O’Donovan shot back, firing nine rounds, hitting Sweat.

Officer’s immediately performed CPR on Sweat, Arcata ambulance took him to Mad River hospital where he died of his wounds. Officer Altic was taken to Mad River Hospital, was treated and released. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is the protocol for officer involved shootings.

A multi-agency team of local law enforcement agencies known as the Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is leading the investigation.

Anyone with any information about this case, please call the Arcata Police Department at (707) 822-2426.