A young Black man in his 20s or 30s flashes a peace sign at the camera while lying on the floor in a cozy living room.
Damien Davis poses in an undated photograph. (Courtesy Theresa Porter)

Vallejo police have arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with the July fatal shooting of Damien Davis.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Patrick Lamont Thompson last month, court records show. Around 10:30 p.m. Friday, a patrol officer spotted Thompson standing at the corner of Sonoma Boulevard and Ohio Street, according to police. Officers assembled an arrest team, then asked an emergency dispatcher to grant them priority use of the radio before moving in at gunpoint, according to dispatch audio. Thompson was taken into custody without incident, police said.

It was not immediately clear from court records whether Thompson had an attorney.

Davis, 34, was shot around 11:30 p.m. on July 24 near the intersection of Sonoma Boulevard and Louisana Street, a block from the site of Thompson’s arrest on Friday. He died at the scene, according to police.

A police detective stands outside a building at night, illuminated by the glow of streetlights and emergency vehicle lights. He holds a phone to his ear while placing his hand on his hip. Yellow evidence markers labeled 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9 are scattered on the sidewalk and street, denoting a crime scene investigation. The scene is quiet, with shadows cast on the building's brick wall and windows, adding to the somber atmosphere.
Vallejo Police Det. William Carpenter investigates a shooting on Sonoma Boulevard on July 12, 2024 in Vallejo, Calif. (Geoffrey King / Open Vallejo)

Davis’ mother Theresa Porter said in an interview Saturday that Det. William Carpenter called “first thing this morning” to inform her of the arrest. “I know there is a broken system, I know there’s problems, I know they are lacking officers,” Porter told Open Vallejo. “I can honestly say that Det. Carpenter went out of his way to keep me in the loop, even calling me from home.” 

“I am grateful.”

Reached by phone Saturday, Vallejo police spokesperson Sgt. Rashad Hollis said the department “is committed to seeking justice for victims and their families.” There have been 18 homicides in Vallejo so far this year, according to police. 

Porter, who is now helping raise her six-year-old grandson, said she spends little time thinking about her son’s alleged killer.

“In my heart I don’t have any hatred or anything toward him,” Porter said. “If anything, just a prayer, in this process that he is able to turn his heart, and his mind, and his life around. It is still possible.”

Geoffrey King is the executive editor of Open Vallejo. Prior to founding Open Vallejo, Geoffrey worked as an attorney and journalist focused on free expression, open government, press freedom and privacy. He is a proud native of Vallejo, California.