A Redding Police Officer has been cleared of wrongdoing from a shootout that left a man dead in East Redding. At 2:07AM on December 8th Marina Xiong called 9-1-1 from a four-plex on Wilson Avenue east of Shasta View to say that her boyfriend, 22-year-old Vernchoy John Saechao, had slapped her. The call then was cut off. The two had been dating for 6 years and had a child together. He had recently moved back in with her and her sister’s family. She had previously asked him to move out because of his drinking. RPD Officers responded to the scene and arrived to find marina in the parking lot. She said Saechao had been drinking all night and throwing things at her, and he was still inside stabbing the walls of the apartment with a knife. There were other family members there as well, including 3 young children. Marina said she wanted him arrested for domestic violence. She said Saechao owned a handgun, but she didn’t know where he kept it. Three officers went inside, where it was dark. They saw a man lying on a couch and thought it was Saechao. As they approached him another man bolted out the door behind them. Officer Chris Staup went after him. As Officer Staup chased him, Saechao fired multiple rounds from a Glock 40 caliber handgun, the same kind of gun that the officer carried. Saechao was hit by five shots and he was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or civilians were hit by any bullets. Saechao’s gun had a high capacity 22 round magazine and he had two other 15 round magazines on him as well. Following an investigation by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney has determined that the shooting was justified.