Who is Kevin Cataneo Salazar? Family of 'schizophrenic' who killed LA deputy claims he was off meds for 10 months, blames cops for not helping
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kevin Cataneo Salazar, the suspect who reportedly fatally shot a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer in an ambush on the night of Saturday, September 16, 2023, is "mentally ill" and had been off his meds for 10 months, according to the suspect's family.
The family claimed that Salazar has schizophrenia and paranoia and that he would hear voices in his head. The family alleged that they called the police several times for help but the cops would let him go every time.
Kevin Cataneo Salazar had mental health issues for five years
Kevin Cataneo Salazar's mother Marle told the Los Angeles Times that she tried to get help for her son for five years, but the authorities would not intervene.
“It’s not my son that did it, it’s the disease that did it,” she said, adding, “They are putting all this out there that my son killed someone, but nobody is saying that my son is sick.”
"My son is mentally ill, and if he did something, he wasn’t in his full mental capacity," Marle Salazar told The Times Spanish.
Why would authorities let Kevin Cataneo Salazar go despite being mentally unwell?
Marle further added that her son would get "hysterical" when asked about the voices he would complain of hearing.
She added, "I have called the police several times." But, “In the end, they would say, ‘He’s an adult, so if he doesn’t want to take [his medication], we can’t do anything.’”
Salazar’s sister Jessica said that her brother had been placed under multiple 72-hour psychiatric holds but was always released.
“Just know that we tried helping my brother,” she told KTLA. “We feel for [the deputy’s] family. It hurts,” she added.
She said there was no excuse for his actions but he needed professional help. “We’re not justifying anything,” she added.
"Nobody wishes to go through that, but I do want you guys to know that my brother had schizophrenia. He had paranoia. He heard voices," Jessica added further.
Was Kevin Cataneo Salazar off his medicines?
Kevin Cataneo Salazar's mother Marle said he had been off his medicines for about 10 months. But she added that he appeared to be “calm” so the family didn’t press it.
She added that occasionally he would act like a child and ask for hugs, and other times, he would become aggressive and refuse to take his medication.
Slain deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was newly engaged. He was shot in the head while driving his squad car by Salazar, who drove alongside him and fired through the window.
The 29-year-old was arrested on Monday, September 18, after he barricaded himself in a family house for several hours, authorities said.
The police recovered several weapons from Salazar's house, the sheriff's office said. ABC reported that Salazar had confessed to the crime but the motive was still unclear.