By Lt. William Whitaker # 6155, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

Antioch police responded to a shooting in the 5000 block of Percheron Way on May 5, 2026, at 9:14 a.m. Upon arrival, officers located an adult man who was unconscious, not breathing, and suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived, but the victim, 44-year-old male Antioch resident, died at the scene.

The suspect, a 38-year-old male Antioch resident, was located nearby and taken into custody after breaking into an unrelated residence. The weapon used in the incident was recovered. There is no ongoing threat to the community.

The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau is actively investigating this case. No additional details are being released at this time.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Detective Becerra at (925) 779-6937 or abecerra@antiochca.gov, or the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6926.

By Sgt. Rob Green, Traffic Division, Antioch Police Department

On Friday, April 17, 2026, at approximately 8:00 AM, Antioch Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle versus pedestrian collision at the intersection of Country Hills Drive and Wolverine Way.

Upon arrival, officers located an 84-year-old female pedestrian from Antioch who had sustained major injuries. She was transported to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and is fully cooperating with the investigation. The Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit has assumed responsibility for the case.

If you witnessed the collision or have any information that may assist investigators, please contact Officer Josh Egan at (925) 204-1587 or jegan@antiochca.gov.

22-year-old Zahvon Hopson charged with killing Dimon Lasly Commodore, held on $2.19 million bail

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has charged an Oakland man with the murder of a 20-year-old Antioch woman.

Zahvon Hopson, 22, was arraigned today, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, on a three-count criminal complaint stemming from the shooting death of Dimon Lasly Commodore. The charges include murder, possession of a firearm by a felon with a prior conviction, and unlawful firearm activity. The murder charge carries an enhancement for personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and death. The unlawful firearm activity count includes special allegations citing prior offenses in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

As previously reported, Antioch police officers responded to a reported shooting in the 2200 block of Sycamore Drive on February 19, 2026, at 7:17 p.m. They arrived to find the victim suffering from two gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, she died at the scene. Hopson was later identified by Antioch Police.

Hopson fled before officers arrived. Also, as previously reported, following an extensive search, he was located in San Diego and arrested on April 10, 2026, with the assistance of local law enforcement.

Currently held at the Martinez Detention Facility on $2,190,000 bail, Hopson pleaded not guilty at today’s arraignment, denied all charges, allegations, and enhancements, and waived his right to a speedy trial. A preliminary hearing date is pending.

According to localcrimenews.com, Hopson was arrested on July 7, 2023, while a Richmond resident, for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and assault with any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. As an Antioch resident, he was also arrested on April 17, 2025, for resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer and intoxicated in public.

Case No. 04-26-01519 | The People of the State of California v. Zahvon Hopson

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

47-year-old man who lives in same home detained, questioned

By Acting Sgt. John Cox #5705, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

ANTIOCH, CA. — Antioch Police Department is investigating a suspected homicide following a late-night incident on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Officers responded at 11:16 p.m. to a residence in the 1900 block of Wilson Court to assist Emergency Medical Services with a report of an unresponsive man. The man, a 50-year-old Antioch resident, was found not breathing by EMS personnel and died at the scene despite life-saving efforts.

Preliminary information indicates the man became unresponsive following an altercation with another resident.

Crime Scene Investigators and detectives from the Antioch Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit are leading the investigation. A resident of the same home, a 47-year-old man, was detained and interviewed by detectives.

The case remains under investigation, and no further details are being released at this time.

The Investigations Bureau will provide additional updates as they become available. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ibanez at (925) 779-6890 or ribanez@antiochca.gov.

23-year-old Dominick Edward DeSouza has history of 19 arrests including 2021 Fairfield jewelry store robbery and in Solano County on Feb. 7th

By Allen D. Payton

According to Lt. William Whitaker of the Antioch Police Investigations Bureau, the Antioch Police Department is releasing video related to an officer-involved shooting that occurred on February 20, 2026, during an armed robbery investigation. The suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Dominick Edward DeSouza of Antioch, born August 27, 2002.

“To be as open with our community as possible, this material is being released even while the investigation remains ongoing. The video includes body-worn camera footage, surveillance video and other evidence gathered during the investigation,” Whitaker shared in a press release issued today, Tuesday, April 23, 2026. “The officers involved were placed on administrative leave in accordance with department policy.”

As previously reported, at 5:16 a.m. that day, Antioch Police officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Lone Tree Way for a report of a robbery in progress. While officers were en route, the reporting party stated that one of the suspects was armed with a firearm and had threatened him.

According to Captain Desmond Bittner, “The suspect vehicle backed into the FoodMaxx store before the officers arrived,” smashing in the front glass doors. One employee said store employees heard the crash, saw some of the commotion, called police who arrived quickly, and that there was more than one suspect who entered the store and attempted to steal alcohol.

When officers arrived, they confronted a suspect at the scene. During the encounter, the suspect rammed his vehicle into an occupied patrol car. An officer who was outside the suspect’s vehicle then came into contact with the driver, and a physical struggle ensued.

During the altercation, the officer was pulled into the vehicle as the suspect drove forward, striking both a patrol car and the nearby store.

The officer gave the driver multiple commands to stop the car, but he did not comply. The suspect continued driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed with the officer trapped inside. The officer then discharged his service weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect exited the vehicle on the sidewalk in front of a house on the corner of Southwood Way at Field Brook Court and fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later.  Bittner confirmed, “The suspect was arrested in the area of the Southwood Way location.”

Description of Incident from Body Cam Videos

As the nine-minute Antioch Police Critical Incident Video shows, after one of the suspects, identified as DeSouza, exited the store and entered the driver’s seat two officers arrived in separate vehicles and DeSouza rammed his car into Officer Armstrong’s vehicle.

The video offers further description of the incident: “Officer Donaldson, on foot, reached into the suspect vehicle and engaged in a struggle with DeSouza. During the struggle, Officer Donaldson was knocked into the suspect vehicle as DeSouza accelerated into the store (in reverse) and then drove forward at a high rate of speed” crashing again into the police vehicle, before driving off.

“Two other suspects in the robbery fled the scene on foot’’ and Officer Armstrong pursued one.

Donaldson gave “the driver, DeSouza, repeated commands to stop the vehicle. DeSouza drove for approximately two miles while Officer Donaldson repeatedly attempted to de-escalate the situation and persuade him to stop the vehicle.

“DeSouza repeatedly told Officer Donaldson to ‘get out’ and said he was going to crash the car. DeSouza refused to stop to let the officer out and told him to jump from the vehicle. Given the speed of the vehicle, there was a risk of great bodily injury or death.

“As DeSouza continued to drive recklessly through city streets, Officer Donaldson informed DeSouza that he would be shot if he did not stop. DeSouza did not comply.”

DeSouza can be heard saying, “I’m going to crash this…car. I ain’t going to jail…I’m going to crash, bro.” Donaldson responded, “Don’t. It’s not worth it,” to which DeSouza said, “It is worth it. I got family, bro.”

Donaldson can be heard responding repeatedly, “Talk to me. Talk to me.”

The video narrative shares, “Officer Donaldson tried putting the vehicle into neutral as DeSouza continually pulled the officer’s hands off the gear shift.”

DeSouza can be heard saying, “That’s not gonna work, bro. That’s not gonna work.”

Then Donaldson can be seen punching DeSouza in the face and saying, “Stop. I will shoot” as he pointed his service weapon at DeSouza.

DeSouza, with a bruise to his right eye area, repeatedly tells Donaldson to “get out the car” and the officer responds, “I will put one in you…I’m not gonna jump…just stop.”

“I’m not going to do this on a private street,” DeSouza can be heard saying. Then, as Donaldson grabs the steering wheel, DeSouza said, “You’re going to kill us, bro.”

Then, Donaldson can be seen repeatedly striking DeSouza with his service weapon and saying, “I’m warning you, I will shoot your leg,” as he pointed his gun at DeSouza’s leg.

The narrative explains, “Officer Donaldson intentionally shot DeSouza in the leg to reduce the likelihood of a fatality to DeSouza, himself and members of the community. DeSouza’s car collided with a parked car and he fled on foot. DeSouza’s vehicle continued rolling and came to rest in the yard of a nearby home” on the corner of Southwood Way at Field Brook Court.

“Officer Donaldson attempted to transmit on his police radio” saying, “C5, shots fired”, “but it was shut off during the struggle,” the narrative continues. Donaldson then pursued DeSouza on foot.

“Additional officers arrived on scene and located DeSouza about ten minutes after he ran from the car. DeSouza, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, was found hiding in bushes and was taken into custody without further incident.”

In the video several officers can be seen pointing their weapons at DeSouza while one issued commands to “raise your hands like an airplane” and “don’t move.” As they approached him, DeSouza could be heard yelling, “He shot me. He shot me.”

The narrative continued, “Officers rendered medical aid until the arrival of paramedics. DeSouza was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Officer Donaldson suffered minor injuries during the incident. No other members of the public were injured.”

“As part of the Internal Affairs investigation, a third-party independent investigator will determine whether department policies and procedures were followed,” the video concluded.

Lt. William Whitaker later said, DeSouza “was in the hospital for a while.”

“This incident is under investigation by the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau, in coordination with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, pursuant to the county’s Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol,” he shared.

Critical Incident Video

A critical incident overview of the incident is linked below.

Refer to critical incident video link:

English – https://youtu.be/5-Sas6KU8VI

Spanish – https://youtu.be/YExVKqCjuPw

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information regarding the incident, is encouraged to contact Detective Becerra at (925) 779-6937 or via email: abecerra@antiochca.gov or by calling the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6926.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, nine-inch tall, 185-pound DeSouza was arrested out of county, is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail but also has bail amounts of $600,000 and $75,000, and his next court appearance is scheduled for June 5, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4 of the Delta Superior Court in Pittsburg.

According to an Antioch Herald report, at age 19, he and two other teens were arrested in November 2021 with $50,000 of jewelry stolen from a Fairfield store.

According to localcrimenews.com, DeSouza is White and has a history of arrests since 2021 by multiple agencies. His arrest on February 20th was for crimes including resisting, obstructing, delaying a Peace Officer, kidnapping and kidnapping to commit any violation of Codes 211 / 264.1 / 288 / 289 211, robbery,  assault with a deadly weapon – no firearm likely great bodily injury to a Peace Officer or Fireman, violation of parole: felony, burglary, grand theft, receiving stolen property – motor vehicle,  vandalism of $5,000 or more and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

DeSouza’s 17 other arrests, just two weeks before in Solano County on Feb. 7, 2026, included charges of threats of violence and vandalism; plus, he was arrested previously on multiple charges of assault, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and child endangerment, as well as for grand theft, petty theft, burglary, robbery, drug possession, reckless driving on a public street and evasion with wanton disregard for safety.

Showcases “justice reform progress”; highlights public corruption investigation, prosecution of Antioch, Pittsburg cops

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued the office’s 2025 Annual Report, showcasing the justice reform progress made for the county’s residents.

“We are making meaningful progress with a sharp focus on public safety, pragmatic solutions and alternatives to a one-size-fits-all criminal justice system,” said District Attorney Becton. “By modernizing our infrastructure and focusing on victim-centered practices, we are ensuring that accountability and support go hand-in-hand to keep our communities safe”

Becton wrote in her introductory message of the report, “We have strengthened partnerships with law enforcement agencies, public officials and community organizations to ensure public safety efforts are both effective and equitable. The professionalism and tireless commitment of our Deputy District Attorneys, Investigators, Victim Advocates, and Support Staff make this great work possible.

“In this annual report, you’ll see the results of that work in some of the following areas:

• Prosecuting serious and violent felonies and misdemeanors
• Implementing restorative justice programs for young people and adults
• Resolving cold cases – including unsolved homicides
• Creating prosecutorial units focused on community violence, retail crime, hate crimes, human trafficking, and public integrity
• Establishing an analytics team to identify crime trends, improve case outcomes, and allocate resources for more efficient crime prevention

“The path to improving public safety is challenging, filled with setbacks, resistance, and obstacles. But despite these challenges, we’ve made real progress building a smarter, more effective justice system with solutions that work.”

“This is the kind of progress that moves beyond the status quo, toward a more just and safe community for all. Thank you for your continued trust,” she concluded.

Key highlights from the 2025 Annual Report include:

• Prosecution Results: The office’s Direct Court Unit achieved a 96% felony conviction rate for jury trials in 2025 — 15 percentage points above California’s statewide average of 81% — securing guilty verdicts in 25 of 26 felony cases tried. The Homicide Unit conducted 15 homicide trials, resulting in a total of 14 convictions, 12 of which were murder convictions – a 93% conviction rate. The Interpersonal Violence Unit conducted 20 trials involving domestic partner crimes, sexual assault, and elder abuse achieving at 85% conviction rate in the cases which reached verdicts.

• Victim Support: The Victim Witness Assistance Program served over 10,600 victims, provided close to 48,000 forms of services, and secured $9.8 million in restitution. The office also welcomed a second facility dog, Fenner, who joined Bear in providing comfort to crime victims — particularly children — throughout the criminal justice process.

The report also adds, “Our work extends beyond prosecution. We’ve led in statewide efforts on ethical AI and launched the Underserved and Unserved Survivor Program. The office expanded trauma-informed support for victims—particularly those impacted by gun violence and unsolved crimes. Our superpower is protection with purpose, combining innovation, data, and human care to seek justice for victims while preventing future harm.”

• Restorative Justice and Alternatives to Incarceration: The office’s Neighborhood Restorative Partnership Program (NRP) continued to demonstrate remarkable outcomes since its 2022 launch. Of 119 participants who have completed the program, only one — a recidivism rate of 1% — went on to reoffend, compared to California’s statewide misdemeanor recidivism rate of 21.1%. A total of 288 cases have been referred to the program since its inception, with 59 participants currently enrolled.

• Cold Case Breakthroughs: The Cold Case Unit secured multiple convictions in crimes dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s using advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy. Notable resolutions included the conviction of James Grimsley for the nearly three-decade-old murder of Terrie Ladwig, a transgender woman in Concord, and guilty pleas in a 2007 Pittsburg homicide after touch DNA linked the suspect to the crime.

• Public Accountability: The office secured guilty pleas in all six cases stemming from its joint FBI investigation into public corruption and bribery among Antioch and Pittsburg police officers — reinforcing the principle of equal justice under law. Launched in March 2022, the investigation uncovered a scheme in which officers illegally canceled traffic tickets in exchange for personal benefits, resulting in some officers losing their law enforcement certifications.

According to the report, “The bribery and conspiracy charges were serious, but the investigation uncovered other troubling behavior as well. When investigators reviewed the officers’ messages, they found a large number of racist, sexist, and homophobic texts shared among more than a dozen officers.

“These messages raised concerns about fairness in hundreds of criminal cases that those officers had worked on. As a result, our office reviewed hundreds of cases to determine whether the officers’ bias affected the outcome.”

• Expanding Access to Justice: District Attorney Becton cut the ribbon on December 15, 2025, at the grand opening of a new branch office at 3890 Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg, housing approximately 30 staff members and bringing justice services directly to East County residents. “East County matters, and the people who live and work here deserve accessible and responsive justice,” Becton said at the ceremony. (See related article)

The full 2025 Annual Report is available for public viewing at Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office 2025 Annual Report Final.

About the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Established in 1850, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office serves a diverse population of 1.15 million residents across four office locations in Martinez, Pittsburg and Richmond. Over 175 years, the office has grown to employ approximately 250 staff members, including attorneys, inspectors, victim-witness advocates, legal assistants, case preparation analysts and administrative staff, operating under the principles of equal justice, transparency, and public safety. For more information visit District Attorney | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this article.

By Antioch Police Department

We’re committed to transparency and keeping our community informed.

The City is proud to announce the launch of our new Flock Transparency Portal, now available online. This portal gives residents clear insight into how Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology is used in our community—including privacy safeguards, data retention policies and authorized use.

Antioch PD uses Flock Safety technology to capture objective evidence without compromising on individual privacy and utilizes retroactive search to solve crimes after they’ve occurred. Additionally, Antioch PD utilizes real time alerting of hotlist vehicles to capture wanted criminals. In an effort to ensure proper usage and guardrails are in place, they have made the below policies and usage statistics available to the public.

This is part of our ongoing effort to balance public safety with accountability and openness. We encourage all residents to explore the portal, learn more about the technology, and stay engaged in how it supports crime prevention while protecting individual privacy.

Visit the Flock Transparency Portal today at https://transparency.flocksafety.com/antioch-ca-pd and the Antioch Police Department’s Transparency page at  https://www.antiochca.gov/432/Transparency.

By Lt. Franco Cesar #7264, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, at about 3:50 p.m., Antioch Police Department Dispatch received reports of a vehicle versus motorcycle collision at the intersection of James Donlon Blvd. and Tabora Drive.

Officers responded to the scene and determined that a 54-year-old man was riding his motorcycle eastbound on James Donlon Blvd. when he collided with a vehicle that had just entered the roadway from northbound on Tabora Drive.

The impact caused severe injuries to the motorcyclist. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and was also transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

APD’s Traffic Unit has assumed responsibility for the investigation. At this time, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be contributing factors.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or Traffic Collision Investigator Sergeant Green at 925-779-6864, email rgreen@antiochca.gov