Crime & Safety
Youngstrom's CHP Partner Addresses Mourners
Tyler Carlton, who returned fire on Sept. 4 to the suspect who fired at Officer Youngstrom, says: 'Ken, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being there for me.'
Identified publicly for the first time Thursday was the partner of the late CHP Officer Kenyon Youngstrom on the fateful day of Sept. 4, when a routine Alamo traffic stop turned into a deadly shootout.
CHP Officer Tyler Carlton gave an emotional address at the funeral of Youngstrom Thursday morning in Vacaville.
"I had the privilege of being Ken's beat partner that day (Sept. 4) and watching him stand tall like he did every day," said Carlton, his voice cracking.
Carlton recalled Youngstrom showing him family pictures, and bragging that his son had a full head of hair as his father did.
"Ken, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being there for me, and I look forward to seeing you again some day," he said.
Carlton received a standing ovation after he spoke.
Carlton "displayed extraordinary courage under extraordinary circumstances" on the day of the shooting, said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow at the funeral.
Of Youngstrom, Farrow said, "His dream was to be a CHP officer. While he accomplished this, it was taken away from his far too soon."
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Youngstrom and the driver of the Jeep — Christopher Lacy, 36, of Corning, Tehama County — had a brief conversation. Without warning, Lacy pulled a gun and shot Youngstrom in the head.
Carlton then ran up on the other side of the Jeep and shot Lacy several times. Lacy died later that day at John Muir Medical Center. Youngstrom, age 37, a Fairfield resident, died the next day at the Walnut Creek hospital.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
