'Armed and dangerous' White supremacist killed after ambushing California deputies and shooting one in the leg
An "armed and dangerous" member of a White supremacist gang was shot dead by police in California after he ambushed deputies who were chasing him through a cemetery, according to Newsweek. In a press conference, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson confirmed that the man, who has not been identified, was killed by deputies in Templeton on Thursday morning after he shot an officer who was chasing him in the leg. He was a convicted felon with an outstanding felony warrant, with a history of weapons charges and a member of White supremacist gang, police said.
According to Parkinson, at about 10:20 am, a sheriff's deputy was driving on Theater Drive in the 3400 block when he noticed a vehicle which was said to belong to a felon who was wanted by the police. He noticed that the vehicle was unoccupied, and that the suspect was around 100 yards away from Templeton cemetery. The deputy switched on the vehicle lights and ordered the man to stop. "He recognized the vehicle as belonging to a wanted felon,” Parkinson said, adding, "The deputy made a U-turn and found the vehicle unoccupied."
The suspect started to run towards the cemetery. The deputy along with another began to chase him. Parkinson added that the suspect concealed himself behind some thick shrubbery at the cemetery and attempted to ambush the deputies as they got closer. “The suspect shot multiple rounds at the deputies, striking one deputy in the lower leg. And the deputies returned fire,” Parkinson said. "By that time more deputies arrived and they engaged in a gun battle where the suspect was struck and pronounced dead at the scene," he added.
The suspect rushed out of the cemetry and ran to his vehicle. By this time, the deputies had a contingency plan and called two other deputies at the scene, informing them that an officer had been shot. The two deputies realised that the suspect was still holding a handgun and opened fire on him. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene.
"The suspect in this case is a convicted felon who had an outstanding felony warrant," Parkinson said. "He has an extensive history of multiple weapons charges and is a member of a White supremacy gang. He is known by us, he is wanted by us, and he was considered armed and dangerous," he added.
Parkinson stressed on the fact that the suspect's name would not be released yet, because his family is yet to be informed. He said that more details of the man, and the gang he was affliated to, would be released soon. The deputy who was shot in the leg was airlifted by a California Highway Patrol helicopter to a local hospital and is in a stable condition. The Major Crimes Unit of the Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol are investigating the incident with the assistance of the SLO County District Attorney's Office. The suspect's residence is also being scrutinized by the authorities.