The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office has elected not to press charges against an unnamed Orinda resident involved in a fatal road rage shooting. According to a release posted by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, the incident unfolded on September 12, 2024, when the resident, driving along St. Stephens Drive, was physically attacked by Scott Decker, 50, leading to Decker's death after the resident shot him. Officials said the encounter was caught on a camera in the driver's car and subsequently turned over to law enforcement.
The deadly confrontation began when the resident overtook Decker, driving a Toyota 4Runner. Decker allegedly proceeded to hastily pull in front of the resident's vehicle and block its path before exiting his SUV and punching the resident thrice in the face. In response, the resident, a registered gun owner with a concealed carry permit, retrieved a handgun and fired a single round, fatally striking Decker in the neck. Despite attempts to save Decker's life, he died at the scene of the altercation.
The police and the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office responded to the shooting near Las Vegas and La Espiral Road around 11 a.m. Neighbors in the area recounted hearing what they believed were gunshots. "I heard a loud bang. First thing I thought about, just because a lot of this is going on in our society, that it was a gun. And I thought no way, not here, probably a tire that blew," Shawn James, a resident, told CBS News Bay Area.
The same CBS News Bay Area report included an interview with a neighbor, Kathy, who knows the shooter and described him as "a very gentle, helpful guy to his neighbors." She could not believe he would be capable of such violence, saying, "I am shocked. I can't believe it." Speaking further about the shooter's character, she conjectured, "It says to me he must have been extremely threatened. Extremely threatened." The investigation is ongoing, and the District Attorney's Office has not released a statement following their decision not to file charges.
Those with information about the incident are encouraged to contact investigators at (925) 313-2600 or through the Sheriff's Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441. Tips can be submitted via email at [email protected] or called in anonymously at (866) 846-3592.
