Crime
Chico Police Fatally Shoot Suspect Michael Oxley Following Weekend Attack on Local Barber George Ramirez III
The Butte County District Attorney’s Office and the Butte County Officer-Involved Shooting Protocol Team are actively investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in Chico.
The incident took place at The Post, an off-campus student housing complex on Nord Avenue, where members of the Chico Police SWAT team engaged 43-year-old Michael Oxley, a suspect in a Friday night shooting.
According to District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the situation began Friday evening when Oxley allegedly shot 43-year-old George Ramirez III, a well-known downtown Chico barber, in the parking lot of the Chico Farmer’s Market on Flume Street.
Ramirez was sitting in his vehicle when an assailant approached from behind and fired multiple rounds through the closed driver’s side window, striking him in the head, neck, and shoulder.
He was transported to an out-of-area hospital, where he underwent extensive surgery and remains in critical condition.
Following an overnight investigation, Chico Police identified Oxley as the primary suspect. Authorities determined that he was staying at The Post as an Airbnb resident, not as a student.
A warrant for his arrest was obtained through the District Attorney’s Office and a local judge.
Officers attempted to take Oxley into custody around 6 p.m. on Saturday, but he barricaded himself inside his apartment, prompting a lockdown of the housing complex.
The situation escalated when Oxley fled to the parking structure, where SWAT officers contained him on a ramp between the fourth and fifth floors.
Authorities reported that Oxley was crouching with a pistol equipped with an extended magazine.
Despite two hours of negotiation urging him to surrender, Oxley stood up and opened fire at officers.
In response, six members of the Chico Police SWAT team returned fire, fatally wounding him. The shooting occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 2.
The Butte County Officer-Involved Shooting Protocol Team launched an immediate investigation following the incident.
The six involved officers have been placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
Authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the case, including the suspect’s motive and the sequence of events leading up to the fatal encounter.
Additional details will be released as the investigation progresses.
Crime
Cause of Death for 6-Month-Old Nnakai Pratt as Blunt Force Trauma After Discovered Inside Trash Bag
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Clayton County Police Department has confirmed that 6-month-old Nnakai Pratt died from blunt force trauma, and the infant’s body was found discarded inside a trash bag during a three-day search that ended in tragedy.
According to authorities, the child’s remains were discovered on Tuesday, October 14, in the backyard of a home off Green Valley Road.
The discovery came after an intense search that began when police were initially called to investigate a reported robbery and kidnapping on Sunday, October 12, at 100 Valley Hill Road in Riverdale.
When officers arrived, they met Antonio Pearce, the child’s father, who claimed that he had been robbed at gunpoint and that his infant son had been taken by the alleged assailants.
Pearce told investigators the incident occurred at what he described as a “stash house,” where he said he had three pounds of marijuana and over $6,000 in cash.
He also stated that Nnakai, his twin sister, and their mother, Necollete Pratt, were present at the time of the alleged abduction.
As the investigation progressed, detectives noted inconsistencies in Pearce’s account.
Police later confirmed that Pearce had fabricated key parts of his story. Following extensive interviews and searches, investigators discovered the infant’s body, confirming their worst fears.
During a press conference on Friday, October 17, police revealed that the infant had sustained fatal blunt force injuries before being placed in a trash bag and abandoned. Both parents were subsequently arrested and charged in connection with the child’s death.
Necollete Pratt was charged with obstructing an officer, making false statements, cruelty to children in the first degree, concealing a death, and party to the commission of a crime.
In court on Friday, the judge denied bond on the felony charges but granted $5,000 bond for the misdemeanor obstruction charge. Pratt is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on November 12 at 8:30 a.m.
Antonio Pearce, the father, faces an extensive list of charges, including malice murder, cruelty to children, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, concealing the death of another person, unlawful disposal of a human body, false statements, and false report of a crime.
Police said Pearce’s repeated lies and inconsistent statements during questioning led investigators to uncover the truth and ultimately locate the child’s body. In court, he was denied bond on the most serious felony charges, including murder and aggravated assault, but was granted a $10,000 bond for the misdemeanor count of filing a false report. Pearce is expected to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on November 10 at 8:30 a.m.
Authorities continue to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the death of baby Nnakai, calling it one of the most heartbreaking and disturbing cases the department has handled in recent years.