Saturday’s sweep followed a Thanksgiving night incident that prompted a shelter-in-place order.
NOVATO, CA — Police and tactical teams searched the U.S. Coast Guard housing complex in Novato on Saturday morning after overnight reports of shots fired, the second such report since Thanksgiving night at the same North Bay site, authorities said.
The renewed search underscores lingering safety concerns inside the Hamilton-area Coast Guard neighborhood, a 121-unit complex of single-family homes and multiplex buildings near South Oakwood Drive. Novato police are leading the probe with Coast Guard support. No injuries have been confirmed in either incident, and officials said no suspect or firearm had been recovered as of the latest canvass. Investigators are reviewing resident video and using drones and firearm-detection dogs as they try to determine whether actual gunfire occurred and who may be responsible.
Thursday’s episode began around 6:30 p.m., when contracted Coast Guard security officers reported a trespasser and started a foot chase through the housing area. During the pursuit, guards heard what sounded like gunshots. A 40-year-old security guard fell but was later found uninjured, officials said. A shelter-in-place advisory was issued for nearby homes and later lifted that night after officers searched streets and yards in and around the complex. The suspect was last seen running back toward the housing area. “Out of an abundance of caution, we had our tactical team come out and search the area,” Novato Police Capt. Sasha D’Amico said of the follow-up operation.
On Saturday morning, teams of uniformed tactical officers and K-9 units methodically cleared blocks inside the Coast Guard neighborhood and adjacent Hamilton streets while drones scanned rooftops and greenbelts. Residents reported officers knocking on doors and asking about overnight noises. Police said they found no cartridge casings or bullet strikes during the initial Thanksgiving night response, and none were reported during the weekend sweep. Investigators have not released a detailed description of the person seen trespassing on Thursday. Whether the same person was involved in the second report remains unknown. Authorities also have not identified the security contractor by name.
The Coast Guard housing sits within the former Hamilton Field area, a redeveloped neighborhood on Novato’s east side that includes military residences and city parks. The complex has on-site security and is separate from Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma to the north. Recent years have brought occasional police activity tied to trespassing and noise calls in the wider Hamilton area, but confirmed shootings inside the Coast Guard housing have been rare, according to public statements. The holiday timing drew added attention, with many families home for Thanksgiving weekend and traffic heavier on nearby Nave Drive and Highway 101 interchanges.
Police said the case remains an active investigation. Detectives are pulling camera footage from doorbells and common areas and plan additional patrols through the housing complex in the coming days. The department said any criminal charges would depend on evidence confirming gunfire, the identity of the trespasser, and whether a firearm was used. Officials expect to provide further updates as new information is verified. No arrests had been announced by Sunday afternoon, and no court filings were listed in Marin County’s public docket related to the incident as of that time. A formal timeline for the next briefing was not released.
Late Saturday and into Sunday, the complex was quiet. Neighbors described seeing officers with long guns moving between buildings at daybreak and patrol SUVs staged near South Oakwood Drive. “They were very respectful and asked if we’d heard anything,” said one resident who declined to be named because the suspect remains at large. Another family said they kept children indoors while officers searched backyards and common paths. By midday, units began clearing the area, though marked cars continued periodic passes.
Investigators say they are still working to determine whether the overnight reports constituted a second shooting or a false alarm. As of Sunday night, no suspect description had been released and no weapon had been recovered. Police said additional patrols would continue this week as the investigation proceeds.
Author note: Last updated November 30, 2025.