A mother and daughter were hospitalized in serious but stable condition after the attack in the Foothill Farms neighborhood.
FOOTHILL FARMS, CA — A Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a man Wednesday morning as he allegedly stabbed a woman and her daughter inside an open garage, authorities said. Both women survived and were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
The violence began about 6:30 a.m. after deputies received reports of a man armed with a knife causing a disturbance at a Starbucks near Elkhorn Boulevard and Diablo Drive, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the man left the business before deputies arrived and later entered a nearby residential garage, where the attack occurred.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Edward Igoe said Starbucks employees fled into a back room and tried to barricade the door with a refrigerator while the man attempted to enter. Deputies began searching the surrounding neighborhood after learning that he had left the coffee shop on foot.
During the search, a deputy saw a person matching the description of the man running along Diablo Drive, authorities said. The man then entered an open garage in the 5700 block of Diablo Drive near Andrea Boulevard and allegedly began stabbing a woman in her 60s several times.
The woman’s daughter, who is in her 20s, tried to intervene after seeing the attack, authorities said. The man then allegedly turned toward the daughter and began stabbing her. A deputy arrived in the driveway at about 6:45 a.m. and fired while the attack was still underway, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The man was struck by gunfire. Deputies provided CPR, and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District personnel also attempted lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities had not released his name as of Wednesday afternoon.
The two women were not struck by the deputy’s gunfire, Igoe said. They were taken to Mercy San Juan Medical Center with multiple knife wounds and were listed in serious but stable condition. Investigators said the man did not appear to know either woman before entering the garage.
No deputies were injured. Authorities had not disclosed how many shots were fired or identified the deputy involved. The Sheriff’s Office initially described the man as an attempted murder suspect but later clarified that he had not been wanted in an earlier case; the description referred to the attack deputies said they interrupted.
Major closures remained in place Wednesday around Diablo Drive and Andrea Boulevard while investigators processed the scene. The deputy-involved shooting is expected to undergo internal review, along with a separate review by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Author note: Last updated July 15, 2026.