Early Monday morning, they arrested a person they thought did a terrible thing – they suspected him of killing Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer. This happened a day and a half after Deputy Clinkunbroomer got shot in the head.
The boss of the police in Los Angeles County, Sheriff Robert Luna, talked to the press on Monday morning. He’s really sure they got the right person locked up. But even though they’re super sure, Sheriff Luna wants anyone who knows something to tell the police. It helps them figure out what happened.
The person they’re keeping in jail is a 29-year-old from Palmdale named Kevin Salazar. He’s stuck in the Palmdale sheriff’s place for now. Sheriff Luna and his team don’t think anyone else was involved in this bad thing.
“Thirty-six hours after the murder of our deputy, the men and women of our department arrested him early this morning,” Luna said. Early on Monday morning, deputies surrounded the dwelling, house, and shouted for everyone inside.
Family members left the home, but the suspect barricaded himself inside for a number of hours, according to Luna. Special Enforcement deputies used chemical agents after attempting to defuse the situation and communicate, and the culprit eventually turned himself in.
The detectives found lots of guns and the car they were looking for at the house, Luna told us. Salazar’s mom and sister believe he has problems with his mental health. They mentioned he’s been put on a psychiatric hold for 72 hours two times before, and they’ve even dialed up the sheriff’s department about him.
Yessica Salazar, the sister of Salazar said, “My condolence to the family,” “It was never a purpose thing. Just understand that it was my brother’s mental condition at that moment. It wasn’t a coward thing. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t retaliation.”
For more details on the tragic incident that led to the arrest, you can refer to our earlier article on Los Angeles County Deputy Shot and Killed in Ambush Attack.
According to Luna, tips from the local community helped homicide police identify the suspect and find the suspect’s vehicle. According to Luna, no motive has yet been established. The inquiry was still going on.
The sheriff’s office said Deputy Clinkunbroomer was found slouched on the steering wheel of his patrol car by a kind person around 6 p.m. last Saturday. He had just left the Palmdale station and was waiting at a red light where Sierra Highway and Avenue Q meet.
Sheriff Luna said, “He was in uniform, sitting in a black-and-white vehicle marked ‘L.A. County Sheriff’s,’ waiting for a red light.” “Our deputy never even had a chance.” Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was taken seriously injured and later died at Antelope Valley Medical Center. Thirty years old was him.
In a press conference held late on Saturday night, the sheriff remarked, “We’re gonna catch the person who did this.” “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has to bear is going after you.”
Investigators are looking into a video that shows a sedan slowly approaching a LASD car around the time of the incident before accelerating away, according to Luna. The sheriff identified the potential suspect vehicle as a dark gray Toyota Corolla from 2006 to 2012.
“We really need your help. We need to get this guy off the street,” Luna spoke. “He ambushed and killed — murdered — one of our deputies. We need your help to get him off the street.”
The sheriff also mentioned that Clinkunbroomer worked at the department for roughly eight years. Then, in July 2018, he moved to the Palmdale station. Luna added that he’d been training new officers in the field for almost two years.
Luna said, “Not just anybody becomes a field training officer,” “It’s usually the best of the best.” In addition to his father and grandfather, Clinkunbroomer was a third-generation LASD member. “Service was in his blood,” the sheriff added.
According to the sheriff, he proposed to his girlfriend four days ago. His parents, grandparents, and fiancée are all left behind by Clinkunbroomer.
Luna cried, “He didn’t deserve this,” she added. “This is so unfair. We’re hurting because we lost somebody. It hurts bad. It sucks, just to put it bluntly. Our hearts absolutely go out to his family.”
I wanna tell our community that Deputy Clinkunbroomer left his family tonight to help out our town:
I want to let to our community know Deputy Clinkunbroomer left his family tonight to serve our community. He laid everything on the line to serve us. He wore a uniform just like other @LASDHQ deputies wear, driving in a police car, and he was senselessly murdered tonight. pic.twitter.com/Jqc2sSB63c
— Robert Luna (@LACoSheriff) September 17, 2023
Sheriff Luna didn’t give out many details about the investigation since it’s just starting. He mentioned that as they find out more stuff, they’ll tell the public. On Sunday morning, lots of cops were with Clinkunbroomer’s body as they took it to the coroner’s office in Los Angeles County.
Take a look at some additional recently published content from us: San Francisco Police Investigate Vandalism of Cruise Autonomous Vehicle.
They put tape around a big area on the street near the station, and they also taped off an LASD vehicle near the hospital where the deputy was found in the patrol car.
“Somebody saw something. Somebody knows something,” claimed Luna. “There is a family here at this hospital grieving an unimaginable loss. We need your help.”
Throughout the day on Sunday, politicians, law enforcement personnel, and local leaders expressed their condolences on social media for the unfortunate death, and flags at the state Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space were flown at half-staff.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced during the press conference on Sunday that she would seek $100,000 toward a prize to find the culprit or suspects involved, and Palmdale Mayor Laura Bettencourt said the city would match that amount.
The Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs’ Richard Pippin has also pledged an additional $50,000. A candlelight vigil was held in Clinkunbroomer’s honor on Sunday evening at 7 o’clock outside the Palmdale sheriff’s office.