31-year-old Matthew Britt, Jr. arrested for assault with a deadly weapon of 25-year-old woman; also arrested last June for assault with firearm; is a registered sex offender

By Acting Lt. Gary Lowther #4032, Antioch Police Field Services Division

 On January 6, 2026, at approximately 8:16 a.m., Antioch Police Department officers responded to a report of a family dispute at a residence at 51East 6th Street.

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 25-year-old woman, an Antioch resident, and determined she was the victim of a felony assault. The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Matthew Jeff Britt, Jr. Britt barricaded himself inside the residence and refused to exit. Officers learned Britt was possibly armed with a knife and had an extensive criminal history involving violence and evading law enforcement.

Several officers had guns pointed toward the house located on the north side of the street.

At one point, two girls walked past the police tape and were stopped by Antioch officers. Following a confrontation with officers, one girl was detained, handcuffed and placed in the back of a police vehicle. She could be heard saying, “He’s about to kill himself. Why would I not go in there? Why are you doing all this? He didn’t do anything to anybody.”

Instead of being sent to Juvenile Hall as one officer said could have happened, he released the girl.

Police blocked off E. 6th Street at A Street.

Due to the circumstances, the Antioch Police Department SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were deployed. Antioch SWAT members escorted three neighbors from their home next door. The Brentwood Police Department’s Bearcat rescue vehicle arrived on scene and was deployed to assist with the standoff.

After several hours of negotiations and de-escalation efforts, Britt voluntarily surrendered without incident. According to Antioch Police Captain Matt Koch, he “surrendered peacefully.”

Britt was uninjured and was evaluated by medical personnel at his request. He was subsequently booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on felony assault charges and is awaiting criminal filing by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the six-foot, one-inch tall, 200-pound Britt was born on 11/20/1994 and is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility. 1/15/26 UPDATE: His bond has been set at $360,000 and his next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 21st at 8:30 AM in Department 5 of Superior Court in Martinez.

According to localcrimenews.com, he is Black and was also arrested by Antioch Police on June 19, 2025, for assault with firearm on a person, possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm when not the registered owner and destroying evidence.

According to OffenderRadar.com, Britt is a registered sex offender convicted in 2015 of pandering with a minor over 16 years of age and is lives in Antioch which was confirmed by the California Megan’s Law Website.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

In critical, but stable condition

By Acting Lt. Gary Lowther #4032, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Monday January 5, 2026, at 12:38 PM, Antioch Police Department officers responded to a report of shots fired in the parking lot of the Delta View Apartment complex located at 3915 Delta Fair Boulevard.

While officers were responding, they learned that an 11-year-old girl had sustained a gunshot wound to the head while inside a vehicle in the apartment complex parking lot. After the shooting, the vehicle left the apartment complex and drove to a nearby shopping center parking lot. Multiple callers reported the vehicle’s location, allowing officers to respond directly to the shopping center.

Upon arrival, officers located the girl inside the vehicle and immediately rendered first aid until relieved by Contra Costa County Fire Department personnel. The girl was transported to Children’s Hospital Oakland, where she is listed in critical, but stable condition.

Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting occurred in the parking lot of the apartment complex. At the time of the incident, the victim was seated in the passenger seat of her family’s vehicle as they were exiting the parking lot. At this stage of the investigation, the family does not appear to have been the intended targets.

“The suspect was on foot when the shooting occurred,” Lt. Bill Whitaker shared. “It’s unclear if he was shooting at someone nearby the vehicle or at the vehicle.”

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Antioch Police Detective John Cox at (925) 481-8147 or via email at jcox@antiochca.gov.

All additional inquiries regarding this case should be directed to Investigations Lieutenant Whitaker at (925) 779-6876. Further updates will be provided by the Investigations Bureau as they become available.Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Possible exposure in Walnut Creek Dec. 17- 19, 23, 24 or Lafayette Dec. 21

By Contra Costa Health

Contra Costa Health (CCH) is notifying the public of a confirmed case of measles in the county, identified on Dec. 24, 2025. The individual was contagious in public between Dec. 17 and Dec. 24, and people may have been exposed at the locations listed below.

Locations of potential measles exposure:

• Dec. 17 or Dec. 19: Anthropologie, 1149 South Main St., Walnut Creek
• Dec. 18: Macy’s, 1320 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek; ALO, 1292 Broadway Plaza, Suite 1106, Walnut Creek; Apple Store, 1200 South Main St., Walnut Creek
• Dec. 21: STAT Med, 3799 Mount Diablo Blvd. #100, Lafayette
• Dec. 23-24: Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Emergency Department, 1425 South Main St., Walnut Creek

People who were at these locations during the dates listed above may be at risk of developing measles, especially if unvaccinated, pregnant or immunocompromised. Measles can develop seven to 21 days after exposure. If you were at these locations during these times, you should confirm with your healthcare provider that you have been fully vaccinated against measles or have had measles infection in the past.  

If symptoms develop, stay home and call your healthcare provider immediately before seeking care so they are prepared to take care of you. Those who have been symptom free for more than 21 days after being exposed are no longer at risk for developing measles.   

A large majority of Contra Costa County residents are fully vaccinated against measles and have lifetime protection against infection. CCH encourages all eligible unvaccinated residents to get immunized against measles with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to ensure their protection. 
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can linger in the air or on surfaces for over an hour after the contagious individual leaves an area. This makes it even easier to spread to those who do not have protection. Also, a person can spread the virus to others even before they develop symptoms.   Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that spreads over the body.  
Although the risk of contracting measles is low for those who are fully vaccinated, members of the public should be aware of the situation and watch for symptoms.  

CCH is conducting contact tracing and notifying local healthcare providers to be vigilant for possible measles cases. CCH continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates if more information becomes available.  

More information about measles can be found on our website.  

By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep., Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Kaiser Permanente Antioch welcomed its first baby of the New Year when Jett Jester arrived at 12:44 a.m. on January 1, 2026.

Jett was born five weeks early, but his parents Taylor Lisa and Ryan Jester said he doesn’t look premature. He weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

“It’s a New Year’s we will never forget,” said proud dad Ryan Jester.  “We feel extremely blessed to have a healthy baby boy. We love him beyond words.” 

By Lt. Joe Njoroge #7052, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Friday, January 2, 2026, shortly before 2:00 a.m., Antioch Police Department officers were at the scene of a single-vehicle collision that had occurred approximately one hour earlier at the intersection of A Street and West 10th Street. APD patrol vehicles were positioned in the roadway to provide traffic control and prevent motorists from entering the intersection.

While officers were on scene, an APD sergeant was seated inside a marked patrol vehicle in a traffic control position when a vehicle driven by 31-year-old Rodrick Ivory, traveling at a high rate of speed toward the intersection, collided with the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle.

The sergeant and Ivory were assisted out of their vehicles by officers on scene and Con Fire personnel. Both were transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation.

During the investigation, Ivory exhibited signs of impairment. After being released from the hospital, he was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on DUI-related charges.

Thankfully, the Sergeant was released from the hospital and is recovering.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department at tips@antiochca.gov.

By Acting Animal Services Manager Cat Cottle, City of Antioch

To everyone who showed up for animals in 2025 – thank you. Truly.

Thank you to every adopter who chose a shelter pet and saw worth, potential and love where others may have overlooked it. You didn’t just adopt an animal – you changed a life, and in many cases, saved one.

Thank you to every family who reclaimed their pet. Reunifications matter. They are joyful, emotional, and often overlooked wins and they remind us why identification, community and second chances are so important.

Thank you to the fosters and rescues – the ones who said “yes” when the shelter was full, when an animal needed quiet, healing, decompression, medical care, or just a couch and a human. The late nights, the medications, the training, the heartbreaks and happy endings – thousands upon thousands of hours given freely, out of pure compassion.

And thank you to our volunteers – the steady, dependable presence behind the scenes and on the front lines. The walkers, cleaners, enrichment creators, transporters, photographers, event helpers, admin angels, and everything in between. Your time is your most valuable resource and you gave it generously.

Every adoption, every reunion, every foster placement, rescue transfer, every hour volunteered helped carry our shelter and our community through another demanding year. None of this work happens in isolation. It takes people – good, committed, patient people – choosing animals again and again.

We see you.

We appreciate you.

We could not do this without you.

From the bottom of our hearts – thank you for being part of the village in 2025. ~ AAS

The two were acquaintances

UPDATE: Suspect identified as Lizbeth Verdad Noonan

By Lt. Joe Njoroge #7052, Antioch Police Field Services Division

Publisher’s Note: This Antioch Police press release issued on Dec. 7 was stuck in the system of the City’s website which has been undergoing updates and was not provided to the media until Dec. 30.

On Sunday, December 7, 2025, shortly after 8:00 a.m., Antioch Police Department officers responded to a report of a 45-year-old man who had been stabbed inside a residence near E. 16th Street and A Street. Upon arrival, officers were informed the victim was still inside the home. Officers entered the residence, located the man suffering from stab wounds, and provided medical aid until personnel from Con Fire arrived. He was transported to a local hospital and remains in stable condition.

Through the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect as a 22-year-old woman. She was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.

According to Lt. Bill Whitaker the two were acquaintances.

UPDATE: According to the Antioch Police Adult Arrest report, her name is Lizbeth Verdad Noonan who is White, 5’3″ tall, 120 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was arrested and taken into custody that same day at 11:00 AM at Sutter Delta Medical Center, 3901 Lone Tree Way. Noonan was charged with inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant/dating relationship – aggravated, a felony, and assault with a deadly weapon: not a firearm – aggravated, also a felony.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department at tips@antiochca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Department posts major gains in applications, reduced vacancies and hiring 780 cadets as year comes to a close

By Jaime Coffee Director of Communications, Office of Media Relations, California Highway Patrol

SACRAMENTO — As we near the end of 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) today in celebrating the Department’s final graduating class of the year. The 137 new officers who were sworn in during a ceremony at the CHP Academy on Dec. 5th will be placed throughout the state to protect and serve communities. This marks a significant achievement for the CHP, which graduated 780 cadets in 2025 alone. The CHP continues its efforts to recruit highly qualified individuals to protect the state’s community safety.

“I’m proud to see the young women and men stepping up to keep our communities safe. As we close out the year, California continues to make real progress — strengthening protections across the state while staying focused on the needs of the people we serve.” – Governor Gavin Newsom

“These cadets have been pushed to their limits and faced significant pressure, but despite all the hardships, they never gave up. Their determination to keep going, even when facing challenges, demonstrates their dedication to helping others and serving the people of California. The CHP proudly welcomes these new officers and looks forward to the remarkable achievements they will make throughout their decades of service.” – CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee

During their 26 weeks in the CHP Academy, cadets trained in vehicle code enforcement, crash and criminal investigations, emergency vehicle operations, and officer safety. The Academy’s curriculum also focuses on legal responsibilities, communication, ethics, and cultural awareness in order to prepare cadets to serve California’s diverse population. Earlier this week, the cadets took part in a 5-mile run as one of the last parts of their training. The new officers begin reporting to one of the CHP’s 102 Area offices across the state on December 15.

A Growing Force Protecting Californians

The CHP’s recruitment initiatives over the past few years — including the launch of the 2022 statewide “Join the CHP 1000” campaign and the “Cadets” web series — continue to drive strong interest in law enforcement careers.

Including today’s newly sworn members, the CHP has brought on more than 2,300 officers from January 2022 through December 2025.

From 2022 to 2024, applications increased by more than 52%.

The CHP is on track to receive more than 33,000 applications by the end of the year, continuing the upward trend.

• 2022: 16,077 applications
• 2023: 19,590 applications
• 2024: 25,477 applications

Join the CHP Today

Enhancing public safety remains a top priority for the Governor, and in November 2024, California successfully achieved its multi-year CHP recruitment goal of 1,000 new officers.

The CHP continues to actively recruit dedicated individuals who are ready to make a difference in communities throughout California. A career with the CHP offers comprehensive training, competitive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

To learn more about joining the CHP, please visit CHPMadeForMore.com to take the first step towards a rewarding career in law enforcement.

See video of the graduation on Dec. 5, 2025.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.