Overview
- Sheriff’s deputies surrounded a home on Goya Parkway while searching for a wanted parolee and located a man hiding in a garage during a standoff on Thursday, June 18.
- A small drone fitted with a powerful magnet was flown into the garage and used to lift a knife from the suspect’s hand after negotiators received no response.
- Deputies then took the man into custody without firing any shots; local outlets reported the suspect as 30‑year‑old Austin Carter but that identification and some background details have been described as disputed.
- The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office released the video on June 22 and praised the drone pilot’s creativity and skill while noting the agency also deployed a robot dog and a police K‑9 during the operation.
- Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about expanding police drone uses and about labeling such gear as military equipment, and the episode could prompt reviews of policy, oversight, and limits on tactical drone equipment.