The two Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies who fatally shot a Guerneville man who had opened fire upon law enforcement after an hourlong standoff are veterans of the office with a combined 35 years of experience.
The deputies were identified Thursday as Deputy Frank Chavez, 45, who has been with the Sheriff's Office for 18 years, and Deputy Henri Boustany, 43, with the office for 17 years, according to Assistant Sheriff Lorenzo Due?s.
Boustany has been involved in two prior fatal shootings, both in 2004.
In one case, he was among four deputies who fired upon a Sebastopol man who pointed a .38-caliber handgun at them after killing his brother, investigators said.
In another case, Boustany and a CHP officer fired upon a man who fled a sobriety checkpoint and after an 90-minute chase refused to drop a handgun, officials said.
Boustany was cleared of wrongdoing in both cases.
Both he and Chavez are assigned to the main office patrol desk and have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is routine in such incidents, Due?s said.
The deputies were among a phalanx of law enforcement who responded to Guerneville's Riverlane Resort early Tuesday after a woman called to say her husband had threatened her, authorities said.
Wayne Courtright, 58, was reportedly intoxicated, suicidal and armed with a high-powered rifle, according to sheriff's officials. His wife and daughter escaped their home at the resort near First and Church streets as law enforcement responded, including a SWAT unit and hostage negotiator. Courtright remained inside.
After about an hour, Courtright stepped out of his home and began shooting at the deputies, who returned fire, sheriff's officials said. Courtright died at the scene.
The Petaluma Police Department is investigating the shooting.
You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.
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