Man killed in Marina police shooting had loaded handgun, Monterey County DA says

By Tim Fang

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office released preliminary information and body camera footage of a fatal shooting by police in Marina on Sunday, saying the man killed by officers was armed with a loaded handgun.

On Thursday, the DA’s office released a summary based on video evidence, interviews of officers and court records. The man who died in the shooting was identified by prosecutors as Ronald Tinsley.

Prosecutors said the incident began around 4:50 p.m. when Officer Shivdev Dhillon spotted a van without a front license plate. Dhillon recognized the driver as Tinsley, who he arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of being a felon in possession of ammunition and was believed to be affiliated with a gang.

The officer was also aware that Tinsley was charged in December in a felony domestic violence case in December and injured officers while resisting arrest, prosecutors said.

According to the DA’s office, both cases against Tinsley were proceeding through the court system and that he posted bail.

Dhillon turned his patrol vehicle around and also found the van had expired registration, which led him to conduct a traffic stop.

During the traffic stop, prosecutors said he noticed Tinsley’s phone and believed he saw the name of the alleged victim of the domestic violence case on the screen. Dhillon then asked to see the phone because he believed Tinsley was prohibited by court order from contacting the woman.

Prosecutors said Tinsley refused to show him the phone and told the officer he was talking to his mother.

At the same time, officers Brodie Sievers and Gabriel Rose responded to the scene, citing Tinsley’s criminal history. The pair got out of their patrol cars and stood on either side of the van.

Prosecutors said Dhillon directed Tinsley to step out of the van, citing concerns about Tinsley being armed and behavior he regarded as suspicious.

Tinsley did not follow instructions. When Dhillon attempted to shut off the ignition, prosecutors said Tinsley hit the accelerator.

Both Dhillon and Tinsley were engaged in a struggle for the steering wheel, in which prosecutors said Tinsley repeatedly struck the officer in the head. The van later came to rest in a small embankment about 300 feet away.

Dhillon then saw Tinsley grabbing an object wrapped in cloth next to his leg, which led to another struggle. According to the DA’s office, Tinsley tried to raise the object and Dhillon felt it was a revolver.

Seivers ran to the location and heard Dhillon yell that Tinsley had a gun. He then saw the gun in Tinsley’s hand from the passenger window, covered by Dhillon’s hand, prosecutors said. The gun was pointed in Seiver’s direction.

Fearing for their lives, prosecutors said both Dhillon and Seivers fired both of their weapons once. One of the rounds struck Tinsley.

Footage showed Dhillon handing Tinsley’s revolver to Seivers. An examination determined the gun was loaded.

Following the shooting, Dhillon administered medical care on Tinsley as other officers performed CPR. Medics later arrived, but Tinsley was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutors said a bindle of methamphetamine was found in Tinsley’s pocket, but it was not immediately known if the drug affected his judgement and toxicology results are pending. An autopsy determined that Tinsley died from a single bullet that entered his left shoulder and traveled through is aorta.

Ballistics tests determined that the round recovered from Tinsley’s body was a .40 caliber round. Prosecutors said Dhillon discharged one round from his .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and Sievers discharged one round from his 9mm semiautomatic pistol.

A test of Tinsley’s revolver found it was fully operational and was unregistered, prosecutors said.

According to the DA’s office, Dhillon has seven-years’ experience a peace officer, while Seivers has two-and-a-half years’ experience.

Prosecutors said Thursday that the investigation remains ongoing.