UPDATED: Attempted “suicide by cop” in Mammoth

Stephen Mellor

Updated June 1, 10:16 a.m. On Saturday May 26, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Mammoth Lakes Police Officers responded to a domestic violence incident at Snowcreek Condos. Mono County Paramedics and two Mammoth PD Officers responded to one condo to contact the victim. The victim was found lying on the floor with lacerations and contusions on her head and face, according to a press release from MLPD. She said she had been struck multiple times and thrown down the stairs by the suspect, Stephen Anthony Mellor, age 43.

Upon clarification, MLPD Chief Dan Watson explained that the victim was found in the next-door neighbor’s condo, while Mellor had remained in the condo where the attack took place.

When officers went there, they could hear items being broken inside. Upon making verbal contact with the suspect, he rapidly threw open the front door, extended his right arm and pointed it toward officers. Officers saw something in his hand and believed it to be a weapon. The suspect said he had a gun and said he would kill them. He then threw heavy items including a bicycle lock at officers. Officers believed the suspect may have been suicidal and attempted to cause a “suicide by cop.” (when a person tries to get police to kill them)

Mammoth Lakes Fire Department was also called because the suspect had opened the propane vents in the condo. According to Watson, the officers could smell propane when they arrived.

“The suspect didn’t say, but the assumption was that he was looking for another violent end,” Watson said. “The officers were aware they had a violent suspect,” Watson explained. “It’s not unusual that something like this happens quickly and an officer legally uses deadly force only to find out later that the suspect had no weapon. This incident could have had tragic results but for the restraint shown by the officers.”

The suspect ultimately forced officers to deploy a Taser and he was taken into custody without further incident. He admitted he had been drinking, according to Watson. Mellor was taken to Mammoth Hospital to be treated for minor self-inflicted wounds, and then to the Mono County Jail where he was booked for felony domestic violence. His bail was set at $50,000.

The victim went to the hospital and was treated for minor injuries and released, Watson said. –LAK/MLPD

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On Saturday May 26, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Mammoth Lakes Police Officers responded to a domestic violence incident at Snowcreek Condos. Mono County Paramedics and two Mammoth PD Officers responded to one condo to contact the victim. The victim was found lying on the floor with lacerations and contusions on her head and face. She said she had been struck multiple times and thrown down the stairs by the suspect, Stephen Anthony Mellor, age 43.

The suspect was in the condo next door. When officers went there, they could hear items being broken inside. Upon making verbal contact with the suspect, he rapidly threw open the front door, extended his right arm and pointed it toward officers. Officers saw something in his hand and believed it to be a weapon. The suspect said he had a gun and said he would kill them. He then threw heavy items including a bicycle lock at officers. Officers believed the suspect may have been suicidal and attempted to cause a “suicide by cop.”

The suspect ultimately forced officers to deploy a Taser and he was taken into custody without further incident. Stephen Mellor was taken to Mammoth Hospital to be treated for minor self-inflicted wounds, and then to the Mono County Jail where he was booked for felony domestic violence. His bail was set at $50,000. –MLPD