On Monday, police arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer — who was ambushed while in his cruiser near the Palmdale sheriff’s station over the weekend.
The 30-year-old sheriff’s deputy was sitting in his cruiser near the sheriff’s station in Palmdale, California on Saturday when he was ambushed and shot in the head. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a “Good Samaritan” discovered Clinkunbroomer unconscious in his vehicle at roughly 6 p.m., and he was rushed to the hospital — where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Following an hours-long standoff, police arrested the suspect, 29-year-old Kevin Salazar, at his residence. The standoff began after deputies surrounded Salazar’s home and demanded residents exit. However, while family members complied with law enforcement’s demands, Salazar remained inside. Despite attempts to negotiate with the suspect, the standoff lasted for hours. Authorities say that the standoff ultimately ended “peacefully” with Salazar surrendering and being taken into custody after police deployed chemical agents.
Sheriff Robert Luna announced the arrest during a Monday press conference, declaring: “We are extremely confident we have the right person in custody.”
Luna went on to say that he did not believe there were any additional suspects, though he added that the investigation is ongoing, and the motive is still unclear. The sheriff also noted that “courageous” members of the community” aided authorities in tracking down the suspect — which involved a 36-hour search for a dark gray 2006-2012 Toyota Corolla and a $250,000 reward for information.
The vehicle was found in Salazar’s possession after the standoff, along with multiple firearms. According to the sheriff, investigators will present their evidence to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office — and he expects prosecutors will “aggressively pursue” this case.
🔹 Blessed Are The Peacemakers 🔹
Deputy Sheriff Ryan Clinkunbroomer
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Saturday, September 16, 2023#EnoughIsEnough #OfficerDown #EOW #ThinBlueLine pic.twitter.com/wRZvJbPn7C
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) September 18, 2023
In a statement over the weekend, Luna mourned the loss of Clinkunbroomer — an eight-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department who leaves behind a fiancée and several close family members.
“Ryan is not coming home, and Ryan wasn’t only a Deputy Sheriff for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, but he was a son, grandson, and newly engaged. He had so much ahead of him,” Luna wrote in the statement.
