Suspect named in killing of 4 at Northern California tribal office

The woman who witnesses say opened fire at her eviction hearing at a Native American tribal headquarters in Northern California Thursday, killing four people, has been identified by police as a 44-year-old former tribal leader.

Cherie Lash, also known as Cherie Rhoades, of Cedarville, Calif., allegedly shot five people and attacked another with a knife when she ran out of ammunition. The attack occurred during a hearing at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office and Community Center in Alturas to evict her and her son from tribal property, KRCR-TV reported.

A witness was able to escape the office, covered in blood, and run to the Alturas police station, KRCR reported.

Authorities who responded to the shooting, which was reported about 3:45 p.m., saw Lash running outside the building with a knife in her hands, according to news reports.

The four people killed in the attack were two women, ages 19 and 45, and two men, ages 30 and 50, the station reported.

Alturas Police Chief Ken Barnes told News10-TV that his department was working quickly to figure out what prompted the shooting.

“We’re trying to get this thing resolved as quick as possible,” Barnes said. “So it’s, it’s a huge impact on our community.”

Alturas is about 140 northeast of Redding.

jason.wells@latimes.com

Twitter: @jasonbretwells | Facebook | Google+