In Santa Rosa, Brad Adams, a 29-year-old man, received a life sentence for a 2022 shooting at a Mendocino Avenue Taco-Bell. As reported by DA of Sonoma County, Adams was sentenced by Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Troye Shaffer following his August convictions for attempted murder and shooting at an occupied building.
District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated, “Mr. Adams earned the indeterminate prison sentence through his brazen behavior and use of a firearm.” Adams' sentence serves as a stark reminder of the possible outcomes for those who engage in the reckless use of firearms.
The events that led to the shooting began on May 4th, 2022, when Adams challenged another person to a fistfight while waiting in the Taco-Bell drive-through line. He then escalated the situation by pointing a handgun equipped with a laser-sight at the victim. Adams, a convicted felon barred from owning firearms, showed no concern for the potential consequences of his actions. He hid behind a retaining wall and fired two shots from a semi-automatic pistol into the victim’s car, hitting the victim in the wrist. Adams fled to a nearby Safeway parking lot, abandoning his truck before escaping on foot. Police later discovered a semi-automatic pistol, additional ammunition, ecstasy, and cocaine in Adams' truck. He was eventually arrested the next day in Brisbane, California.
Deputy District Attorney Robert Rasp prosecuted the case, and the Santa Rosa Police Department investigated the shooting.
