Sheriff: Shooting death near west Santa Rosa walking trail appears self-inflicted

Sonoma County Coroner’s Office investigators are investigating Sunday’s apparent suicide by a 65-year-old Rohnert Park man found in a vineyard along a popular west Santa Rosa walking trail.

Deputies were called about 12:30 p.m. after gunfire was heard near the Santa Rosa Creek path off Willowside Road. The sheriff’s helicopter, Santa Rosa fire and deputies responded, and found the area crowded with parked cars from people on the trail.

Initially deputies weren’t sure if someone had been shot by someone else, but they then found a rifle near the man’s body. The shooting appeared to be self-inflicted, sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum said Monday.

Crum said the man was 65, from Rohnert Park. His name wasn’t being released Monday.

-Randi Rossmann