Men killed in Pleasant Hill shootout ID’d

Police have identified a victim and suspect who both died Tuesday after a shootout in Pleasant Hill.

The victim was identified as Peter Popovich, 63, of Pleasant Hill. Popovich was employed by a company in the legal cannabis industry and on Tuesday was delivering packaging materials to Bay Area cannabis distributors, police said.

The shooting was reported just before noon and occurred in the area of Twinbridge Circle near Longbrook Way, near the city’s border with Walnut Creek. Witnesses told police they heard multiple gunshots and saw two victims lying on the ground injured, police said.

According to police, Popovich was targeted for robbery by Trevon Davis, 21, of San Pablo, and at least one other suspect while he was standing by his parked delivery van on Twinbridge Circle.

The other suspect, who has not been identified, fled the scene and remains at large, police said. A blue sedan was seen fleeing the scene after the gunshots were fired and witnesses in the area said the car was connected to the shooting, according to scanner feeds from the incident.

Both the suspects and Popovich were armed and exchanged gunfire, police said, adding that Davis and Popovich were struck by multiple gunshots.

First responders at the scene Tuesday took Popovich to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he was pronounced dead. Davis was also taken to the hospital, where he later died, police said.

Police said that Davis and Popovich did not know each other.

Pleasant Hill police said investigators determined that Popovich used his own gun, which was later recovered at the scene, during the incident. Popovich had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon that was issued by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, police said.

The incident marked the first homicide reported in Pleasant Hill since April of last year, according to city police statistics. Pleasant Hill police are asking people with information related to the shooting to contact the department’s investigations bureau at 925-2884630.