Prosecutor: Deputy’s firefight at vets home was reasonable

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Northern California prosecutor says an officer acted appropriately when he engaged in a brief firefight with a former U.S. Army infantryman holding hostages at a veteran’s home before the gunman fatally shot three staff members.

The Napa County district attorney late Tuesday said sheriff’s deputy Steve Lombardi had a reasonable fear that troubled veteran Albert Wong was about to kill a hostage when he decided to shoot at him during the March incident at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

Neither man was hit during the 10-second exchange that ended when the deputy took cover. Wong then fatally shot three staff members before killing himself. The staff members had previously ejected Wong from a residential treatment program for misbehavior.