District Attorney Eads finds deputy's deadly force justified in Loleta shooting

District Attorney Stacey Eads announced Feb. 25, 2026, that her office completed its criminal review of a deputy-involved fatal shooting and concluded the use of deadly force by a Humboldt County Sheriff's Office corporal was legally justified. The review covered the incident that resulted in a death on June 5, 2025, near the Bear River Recreation Center in Loleta.

The June 5, 2025, encounter occurred in the vicinity of the Bear River Recreation Center, a community landmark on the outskirts of Loleta where residents and families gather for youth sports and events. That location anchors the review: the DA examined actions taken by a corporal from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office during that response and determined those actions met the legal standard for justified deadly force.

Eads’ announcement on Feb. 25, 2026, closes the criminal investigatory phase led by the District Attorney’s Office into this specific officer-involved death. The finding applies to the corporal identified only by rank in the DA’s statement and to the June 5, 2025, incident near the recreation center; the office did not attach criminal charges in announcing the review’s completion.

The decision will shape local oversight debates in Humboldt County about how deputy uses of force are reviewed and communicated to the public. The event’s location in Loleta and the involvement of the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office place the outcome squarely before county officials and community stakeholders who have pressed for clarity on officer-involved incidents since the fatal shooting occurred on June 5, 2025.

With the District Attorney’s criminal review concluded on Feb. 25, 2026, next steps lie with county institutions and the Sheriff’s Office regarding any internal personnel or policy actions tied to the June 5, 2025, shooting near Bear River Recreation Center. Stacey Eads’ determination that the corporal’s use of deadly force was justified marks the legal closure of the DA’s inquiry while leaving administrative and community responses to unfold in Loleta and across Humboldt County.