Sedona AZ (December 22, 2020) – UPDATE – Based on currently available information, on Sunday morning, Dec. 20, 2020, an officer-involved shooting occurred in the parking lot area of the Sedona Airport at 235 Air Terminal Dr., in which 37-year-old Michael Bergsma was shot during an altercation with a Sedona Police Department (SPD) officer.
At 10:51 a.m., Sedona Police Department officers responded to a call from the Sedona Airport Authority claiming that three persons stole a vehicle belonging to the Airport Authority and drove it on the airport taxiway. When SPD officers arrived on scene, they found and attempted to detain Bergsma, Cynthia Ann Williams and Thomas Dylan Trantham in the airport terminal building parking lot.
After not cooperating with officers, Bergsma ran on foot and one officer followed, deploying a less than lethal shot gun after commands from the officer were not observed. Bergsma then attempted to disarm the officer. During this attempt, the officer managed to discharge his handgun, striking Bergsma one time in the abdomen. Bergsma continued to fight with the officer and was subsequently tased by a secondary officer who assisted getting Bergsma into handcuffs. Officers immediately called the Sedona Fire Department (SFD) for emergency medical care for Bergsma and the officer.
As a result of Trantham’s failure to comply, a taser was deployed to take him into custody. Williams was also placed in custody. Bergsma was released from the hospital that same evening of Dec. 20, 2020 and is currently in custody.
The officer in the altercation with Bergsma was treated at the hospital for injuries and also released on Sunday night. Per the SPD’s standard protocol related to all officer-involved shootings, the officer has been placed on paid leave.
Bergsma was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation. Trantham was charged with Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation. Griffin was charged with Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating this incident and will follow protocol on releasing additional information.
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Sedona AZ (December 20, 2020) – According to initial information, on Sunday morning, Dec. 20, 2020, a Sedona Police Department officer was in an officer-involved shooting in the parking lot of the Sedona Airport in which a 37-year-old white, male suspect was shot and is currently in stable condition at the hospital.
Police responded to a stolen vehicle incident with three suspects that ended on Airport Mesa. Less lethal tactics were deployed initially, and the officer involved is being treated at the hospital for wounds sustained during the altercation. The other two suspects are in custody.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) deployed its officer-involved shooting team which will independently investigate the cause and circumstances of the incident. Additionally, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office is supporting the scene, sending their Crisis Response Team and assisting with any Sedona calls for service as needed.
More information will be released as it is available.
3 Comments
Very happy to hear that your officer is not seriously hurt glad everything turned out OK.
wow! crazy shit at the airport! glad to hear officers made it through despite injuries.
Now we get to read the “wisdom” of justice ginsberg , the pseudonym of somebody hiding identity of a real person or behind the reputation of the justice. I’ll pay it all the attention this deserves but no more. The commentary will have to stand alone only on it’s merit.
If that person thinks this is high level journalism let me suggest it’s barely above the professional intellect of a 2 year old.
Oh well there are all kinds living in our community.
Stay safe and alert
John