Deputies Involved in Guerneville Shootout Identified

By Bay City News Service

The identities of the two sheriff's deputies involved in a shootout with a gunman at a Guerneville resort on Monday night have been released by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Henri Boustany, 43, and Deputy Frank Chavez, 45, were the deputies involved in the shooting of 59-year-old Wayne Courtright at the Riverlane Resort at 16320 First St., sheriff's officials said.

Boustany has 17 years of experience at the sheriff's office and Chavez has 18 years of experience there. Both deputies are currently on paid administrative leave, as is standard protocol.

The shooting is being investigated by the Petaluma Police Department and the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.

According to Sgt. Carlos Basurto, the sheriff's office received a call at about 11 p.m. Monday from a woman at the resort, located across the street from a sheriff's substation, stating that her husband was suicidal and threatening to kill her.

A dispatcher told the woman to leave the resort and come across the street. She showed up at the substation about a minute later with her 30-year-old daughter, Basurto said.

She told deputies that her husband, Courtright, was armed with a rifle and was intoxicated and suicidal, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies headed across the street and set up a perimeter around the main house on the property and about 20 minutes later heard shots fired inside, sheriff's officials said.

The sheriff's special operations unit was dispatched to the scene, where at about midnight, Courtright came out of the home with a high-powered rifle and started shooting at deputies, Basurto said.

The deputies returned fire and Courtright fell to the ground, according to the sheriff's office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Basurto said Courtright was shot at least once but it has not been determined whether any of his wounds were self-inflicted.

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