A suspect is in custody and a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy is dead after a standoff in the 10000 block of Highway 9 in Ben Lomond.
Deputies responded to a report of a carjacking that occurred at 2:15pm on Saturday, June 6, where a man reportedly took a white 2000 Toyota Camry while armed with an assault rifle, emergency dispatchers said.
As deputies approached, they reported that the suspect was lobbing “bombs” at them, then called for a retreat and cordoned off the area.
As the suspect fled in the stolen car, he shot two deputies who were on foot, according to emergency dispatchers. One was taken by air ambulance to a trauma center in critical condition and has died, a police source confirmed. The second suffered minor injuries and did not need medical attention.
The suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his 30s wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants, reportedly abandoned the vehicle at 10065 Alba Road, and left on foot. Witnesses later said they saw blood in the car.
The suspect later used the rifle to steal a second car—a dark green Porsche 911.
Santa Cruz Police Department has deployed its BearCat armored vehicle and is working with Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and the California Highway Patrol. Multiple police cruisers from agencies in neighboring Monterey County, including King City and Soledad, were seen speeding north on Highway 1 to the scene. Officers were called to the scene from as far away as South San Francisco.
Police established a command post at the Red Gables Church in Felton.
Just wanted to mention that those bearcat armored vehicles cost anything from US$188,793–300,000. Where do they keep these vehicles and how are they so readily available? Sorry to hear about the loss of the officer.
Not relevant… have some dignity
The City of Santa Cruz has a Bear Cat which I’ve seen in training routines at the Beach Boardwalk on occasion. I think it is ‘garaged’ at the SCPD headquarters on Center St in Santa Cruz. Although it seems militaristic (and as you mentioned, prohibitively expensive), if it can save an officer – or civilian – life in cases like this, I would say its use and utility is warranted.
Please view w3.cdn.anvato.net You’ll see how he was actually caught. Your story is very misleading
There is no such thing as a red Gables church in Felton -please get your facts correct next time. Also the gunman was taken down by two private citizens after he attempted to steal their car. There were no cops anywhere around at the time. This happened on brown Gables Road in Ben Lomond near the Saint peters & St. Paul’s Orthodox Church parking lot.Also the second officer was in critical condition and taken to the hospital. Two blatant errors.