Overview
- Video released by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office shows a drone with a strong magnet removing a knife from a man inside a garage before deputies moved in.
- The sheriff’s office identified the suspect as 30‑year‑old Austin Carter, a wanted parolee and registered sex offender who was later treated, medically cleared, and booked on multiple felony charges.
- According to the department, deputies used robots, a police K‑9 and drones during the June 18 operation to locate the suspect and deploy the magnet‑equipped drone to reduce risk.
- Shooter officers say the man appeared motionless and may have overdosed before he was disarmed, taken into custody without shots fired, treated for a dog bite and transported to jail.
- The case highlights Sacramento’s growing drone program and has drawn praise for an innovative low‑risk tactic and criticism from privacy advocates about necessity, oversight and promotional framing.