Last night, Santa Rosa Police Department's (SRPD) Special Enforcement Team (SET) arrested a 44-year-old local man, ostensibly taking another illegal firearm off the streets. The team was conducting a patrol near Roberts Avenue and the Joe Rodota Trail when they encountered Santa Rosa resident Joshua Lottice, already known to them due to an existing felony warrant. According to the news release issued by Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD), Lottice was found to have a loaded, concealed weapon allegedly.
Lottice was approached by SET officers yesterday evening, around 10:10 pm. What transpired was a likely scripted scenario, a dialog between law enforcement and a man with a history implying that he should not carry what he carried in his jacket pocket. Upon contact, authorities say Lottice admitted to having a loaded Fast Eibar .380 caliber handgun with a round in the chamber and four additional rounds in the magazine. He was detained without further incident.
The charges against Lottice are severe, as they stem from his status as a convicted felon, prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Booked on multiple felony charges, including possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and possession of a loaded, concealed firearm in public space, his case adds to the tally of firearms-related arrests in the area.
SET's formation and its patrolling efforts aim to combat the city's escalating gun violence and illegal firearm possession, a situation the Santa Rosa Police Department is eager to get under control. Their commitment to making Santa Rosa a safer place to "live, work, and play" frames these incidents as victories in a ceaseless urban battle.
