SEDONA – Details are being made public by the Sedona Police Department about an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday morning, in the parking lot area of the Sedona Airport at 235 Air Terminal Dr.
Michael Bergsma, age 37, was shot during an altercation with a Sedona Police Department (SPD) officer.
According to Sedona Police, at 10:51 a.m., officers responded to a call from the Sedona Airport Authority claiming that three persons stole a vehicle belonging to the Airport Authority and drove it on the airport taxiway. When SPD officers arrived on scene, they found and attempted to detain Bergsma, Cynthia Ann Williams and Thomas Dylan Trantham in the airport terminal building parking lot.
After not cooperating with officers, Bergsma ran on foot and one officer followed, deploying a less than lethal shot gun after commands from the officer were not observed. Bergsma then attempted to disarm the officer. During this attempt, the officer managed to discharge his handgun, striking Bergsma one time in the abdomen. Bergsma continued to fight with the officer and was subsequently tased by a secondary officer who assisted getting Bergsma into handcuffs. Officers immediately called the Sedona Fire Department (SFD) for emergency medical care for Bergsma and the officer.
The Department claims that as a result of Trantham’s failure to comply, a taser was deployed to take him into custody. Williams was also placed in custody. Bergsma was released from the hospital that same evening of Dec. 20, 2020 and is currently in custody.
The officer in the altercation with Bergsma was treated at the hospital for injuries and also released on Sunday night.
Bergsma was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation. Trantham was charged with Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation. Griffin was charged with Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Use of Means of Transportation.