Fort Bragg Woman Arrested for Alleged Trespassing, Assault on Officers
FORT BRAGG, CA — “On April 16, 2025, at approximately 12:32 AM, Fort Bragg police officers responded to the 200 block of E Redwood Avenue on the reports of a female screaming and banging on the front door. The occupants in the apartment did not know who the female was.
When officers arrived, they located Jenny Malagon, 47, of Fort Bragg on an upstairs balcony. Malagon was waiving [sic] a large kitchen knife and screaming. Officers directed Malagon to drop the knife and attempted to de-escalate the situation verbally. Malagon continued to pace back and forth on the balcony while screaming. Officers were familiar with Malagon and knew she did not live there.
While officers were talking to Malagon, she picked up a flowerpot, weighing about 10 pounds, and threw it down on the officers below. Malagon threw two more pots of equal size at the officers, one missing an officer by inches. From the bottom of the stairs, an officer deployed his TASER in an attempt to use less lethal force to control Malagon. Despite multiple attempts, the TASER was ineffective, as Malagon kept breaking the wires. Malagon then broke through the front window of the occupied apartment and entered it.
Fearing for lives and safety of the occupants inside, officers ran up the stairs. One officer entered through the broken window and unlocked the front door for other officers to enter. During this, the officer cut his hand on the broken glass. He quickly wrapped it in a piece of clothing to control bleeding and continued to assist the other officers.
Malagon had barricaded herself in a bathroom. They also found the residents were in a bedroom near the bathroom. Officers blocked the bathroom door with their bodies while another officer escorted the residents out of the apartment to safety.
Officers forced the bathroom door open a few inches and saw Malagon had armed herself with the lid to the toilet tank and was holding it in a striking position. Thinking quickly, the officers all pushed through the bathroom door, quickly overpowering Malagon and took her into custody without injury.
Chief Neil Cervenka said, ‘Critical incidents such as these often result in the use deadly force. However, our courageous officers faced a potentially lethal situation and resolved it without injury to the suspect. While officers using deadly force make the news across the county, this type of resolution is far more common, but less reported on.’
After medical clearance, Malagon was booked into Mendocino County Jail on the charges of PC 245(a)(4) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury; PC69(a) – Resist Officer; PC 594(b)(1) – felony Vandalism; PC 602(m) – Trespass on Occupied Property; HS 11550 – Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance.
The injured police officer was treated at Adventist Health Coast Hospital Emergency Room and released. He was immediately released to full duty.
Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact Sergeant Welter of the Fort Bragg Police Department at (707)961-2800 ext 212.”
