A Placer County sheriff’s K-9 named Sonic was shot in the leg by a barricaded woman during a prolonged armed standoff in Penryn, California, and deputies returned fire, wounding the woman and ending the confrontation early Friday, October 16, 2026, sheriff’s officials said. The Placer County K-9 shooting marked the end of an overnight standoff that began when detectives tried to serve an arrest warrant and an eviction notice at the woman’s Quarry Lane home.
Warrant Service Turns Into an Overnight Standoff
The confrontation at Mullennix’s Quarry Lane home began late Thursday when sheriff’s detectives attempted to serve a warrant for her arrest on suspicion of resisting or obstructing a peace officer, along with a court-issued eviction notice ordering her to leave the home, the Sacramento Bee reported via Police1.
Sheriff’s officials said Mullennix had a gun and a history of threatening neighbors, and that deputies had responded to numerous calls for service at her home.
“Due to her known history, we attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution with her outside,” said Elise Soviar, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, in a statement announcing Mullennix’s arrest. “When a detective spoke with her, she ran inside. She then pointed a gun at the detective from inside the home and threatened to shoot him.”
The confrontation stretched into Friday morning. Mullennix barricaded herself inside the home as deputies initially tried to persuade her to surrender. After midnight, the sheriff’s tactical team and crisis negotiators responded, and nearby residents were ordered to shelter in place.
Mullennix “destroyed multiple law enforcement drones” during the standoff, Soviar said, which continued even after the tactical team fired tear gas and less-lethal 40 mm rounds into the home.
Sonic Takes a Bullet at 7 A.M.
Deputies with the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team entered the home about 7 a.m. Friday, when Mullennix opened fire and shot Sonic, who was expected to survive.
The sheriff’s K-9, a 9-year-old black Belgian Malinois who joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2018, was shot in the leg about 7 a.m. Friday, deputies said in a statement. He was recovering at a Loomis veterinary hospital.
Deputies returned fire, wounding 30-year-old Linda Mullennix and ending the standoff. She was taken to a hospital, where she was in stable condition, sheriff’s officials said. No deputies were wounded.
“We ask our community to join us in praying for our K9 officer and his handler,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Who Is Sonic
Sonic is no rookie. The black Belgian Malinois was born in Holland and brought to Placer County as a 1-year-old in 2018 through a donation from the William C. Bean Foundation, a nonprofit established in memory of William “Bill” Bean Jr., a former Placer County sheriff’s deputy who later became a Sacramento police officer and was killed in the line of duty in 1999 while attempting to arrest a violent suspect.
Sonic initially worked with sheriff’s Sgt. Jon Scofield before being partnered with Deputy Matt Hoffman. The dog was trained for patrol duties and to detect firearms and ammunition, according to previous Sheriff’s Office posts.
What Happens Next
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is now following deputy-involved shooting protocols along with the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, sheriff’s officials said. That review is standard practice when deputies fire their weapons.
Officers were equipped with body-worn cameras during the incident, and the footage will be part of the review. Mullennix, who remains hospitalized in stable condition, was wanted on the resisting-or-obstructing warrant before the standoff added a night of destruction, threats, and gunfire to her case.
Featured image: A police K-9 wearing a protective vest with its handler (representative file photo; pictured dog is not Sonic). Photo via the National Police Federation (npf-fpn.com).
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Penryn standoff?
Placer County detectives tried to serve 30-year-old Linda Mullennix with an arrest warrant and an eviction notice late Thursday. She barricaded herself inside her Quarry Lane home in Penryn, California, prompting an overnight armed standoff that ended Friday morning when deputies entered and gunfire was exchanged.
Who is K-9 Sonic?
Sonic is a 9-year-old black Belgian Malinois with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Born in Holland, he was brought to Placer County in 2018 through a donation from the William C. Bean Foundation and is trained for patrol duties and detecting firearms and ammunition.
How was Sonic injured?
When the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team entered the home around 7 a.m. Friday, Mullennix opened fire and shot Sonic in the leg. He was taken to a Loomis veterinary hospital and is expected to survive.
What happened to Linda Mullennix?
Deputies returned fire, wounding Mullennix and ending the standoff. She was taken to a hospital, where she was in stable condition. She had been wanted on a warrant for suspicion of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Were any deputies hurt?
No deputies were wounded, sheriff’s officials said.
Why did the standoff last all night?
Mullennix refused to surrender despite crisis negotiators, tear gas, and less-lethal 40 mm rounds fired into the home. She also destroyed multiple law enforcement drones during the standoff, and nearby residents were ordered to shelter in place.
What happens to the case now?
The Sheriff’s Office is following deputy-involved shooting protocols along with the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, which will review the deputies’ use of force.
