Ukiah man arrested after claiming self defense in fatal shooting of homeless man

A 62-year-old Ukiah resident shot and killed a homeless man digging through a dumpster near his rental home and then called 911, claiming he fired his gun in self-defense, Mendocino County sheriff’s officials said Tuesday.

Despite those claims, Steven Ryan was being booked on suspicion of murder in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Mendocino County Jail after investigators have found no evidence the unarmed 20-year-old transient man posed a threat during the encounter, Lt. Shannon Barney said.

“He claims self-defense, and our opinion is that self-defense doesn’t apply,” Barney said.

The deceased man’s name was being withheld while officials notify his family, Barney said.

Ryan called 911 about 11:20 a.m. Monday from the vineyard property on the 220 block of East Perkins Street just beyond city limits to the east of Highway 101. Ryan rented one of several small homes on the property and had no involvement in the grape-growing operation, the lieutenant said.

Ryan reportedly saw the 20-year-old man looking in a dumpster used by the vineyard near the rental housing on a large dirt driveway and yelled for the younger man to “get off the property,” Barney said.

“They walk toward each other, then a shooting occurs,” Barney said.

Detectives estimate Ryan fired his gun multiple times while standing about 40 feet from the homeless man. The younger man was struck several times and was found slain in the gravel driveway, Barney said.

The precise number of shots fired would be determined during an autopsy, tentatively scheduled for later this week, Barney said. Barney said the area around the vineyard property has a known homeless population. He said he didn’t believe the men knew each other. Neither man had significant prior contacts with law enforcement, Barney said.

“It was not a clear-cut self-defense case,” Barney said. “People do have the right to defend themselves in some circumstances. We will include all his statements in our report, and ultimately the District Attorney will decide” how to prosecute the case.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com.