Argument over vehicle sale leads to shooting

On Monday, September 30, 2025, at approximately 11:42 p.m., an officer with the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) was dispatched to the emergency department of an area hospital to investigate a report of a gunshot victim. The male victim, a 49-year-old resident of Santa Rosa, had been shot one time in his thigh. The officer learned the victim was shot following an argument with a man about a failed vehicle purchase. The shooting occurred in a parking lot in the 2300 block of Mendocino Avenue. The officer was able to learn enough about the male suspect and his female acquaintance to broadcast a description of the pair to other officers.

Approximately twenty minutes after the incident was reported, an officer canvassing the area located a man and woman matching the description of the involved people walking in the area of Brookwood and Fifth Street. The officer detained both subjects without incident. As the officer was attempting to detain the subjects, the man had placed a plastic bag and an article of clothing on the ground. Officers located a loaded .380 handgun wrapped in the clothing. Following a further search of the man’s property, officers located ammunition and a small baggy of suspected methamphetamine.

A detective with the SRPD Violent Crimes Investigations Team (VCI) responded to the hospital and assumed the investigation. Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed the suspect, Robert Erickson, a 44-year-old resident of Rohnert Park, met with the victim’s girlfriend in a parking lot to negotiate the sale of her car to Erickson. When Erickson was unable to purchase the vehicle, he engaged the victim in an argument. During the argument, Erickson produced the handgun and shot the victim in the thigh. Erickson then robbed the victim of his cell phone prior to fleeing the scene with Cole. A short time later, the victim requested a family member drive him to an area hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound. It was determined Erickson’s female acquaintance was not involved in the shooting.

Erickson, a convicted felon, was arrested and later booked into jail for the following offenses:
245(a)(2) PC – Assault with a firearm
245(b) PC – Assault with a semi-automatic firearm
29800(a)(1) PC – Felon in possession of a firearm
211 PC – Robbery

The victim was treated for his injury and later released.

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 25-10742.

Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens, Public Information Officer, at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org.