Redding Police Department Names Officer Who Shot David Schaeffer

In response to a public records request, Redding Police Department have named Bailey Odell as the officer who shot David Schaeffer on March 26. Schaeffer was confronted by Odell and other officers that day due to an active warrant for his arrest on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to sell.

As seen in body-worn camera footage that captured the confrontation with Schaeffer, Odell exited his vehicle with his weapon drawn. Seconds later, Schaeffer, who was behind the wheel of a vehicle, began to accelerate in Odell’s direction which RPD says caused Odell to fear for his life. Odell then fired into Schaeffer’s vehicle twice, hitting him once in the jaw.

Chief Brian Barner and Odell declined to provide further comment for Shasta Scout, deferring to their RPD’s video briefing published last month.

On May 9, in what the department referred to as “an effort to be transparent”, RPD released their video briefing about Schaeffer’s shooting. According to Captain Regan Ortega, who narrated the video, RPD’s use of force was justified. She did not name the shooting officer or any of the others at the scene of the shooting. 

The video briefing did include a photo of Schaeffer, and Ortega mentioned the felony warrant that prompted his arrest, and shared the additional charges the DA has sought against Schaeffer since his shooting, namely assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon (his car), and resisting an executive officer.  

The same day RPD published the briefing, the department also provided Shasta Scout with the body-worn camera footage of all officers involved in the incident, in response to a records request, fulfilling their requirement by law to make this footage available within 45 days.

Since then, Shasta Scout has followed up with an additional records request, asking for the names of all officers involved, including the specific identity of the officer who shot Schaeffer. Along with Odell, RPD has now shared the names of the other officers at the scene: Ronald Johnson, Derek Adams, Mike Hallagan, Orlando Rabon, and Erick Nunez. 

RPD Chief Brian Barner still hasn’t responded to Shasta Scout’s requests for comment weeks ago as to why the department never voluntarily named the shooting officer, how RPD chose which of the six officer’s body-worn camera footage to share with the public, and most importantly, why none of the officers activated their cameras prior to contacting Schaeffer, something that’s required under RPD’s policy and procedures.  

This is the first time Odell has shot a suspect in the course of his work. He has previously been the subject of an internal investigation related to his use of force. The investigation was conducted after two other RPD officers reported Odell for his conduct during the arrest of Brandon Rutkoski in 2020. 

RPD’s report related to the incident indicates that Rutkoski was lying immobilized on a sidewalk when the three officers approached him. The report describes Rutkoski as resistant, and says that in the process of arresting him, Odell kicked Rutkoski in the head in a “stomping motion,” causing Rutkowski’s skull to hit the pavement, sustaining several injuries.

RPD’s internal investigation exonerated Odell of the accusations of excessive use of force, finding his kick to be reasonable under RPD ‘s policy. Odell faced other related allegations during the internal investigation, including the charge that he had falsified a report about the incident. All the charges were determined to be “unfounded”, although investigators did conclude that Odell had improperly notified his superiors about what occurred.

A redacted copy of the report is available to the public on the City of Redding’s website, as required by California law.

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