On September 12, Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer proposed to his beloved. Unfortunately, four days later, tragedy struck as the police officer from Los Angeles, California, lost his life. Now, authorities have taken a suspect into custody.
On the evening of September 16, Deputy Clinkunbroomer departed from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station for his night shift, shortly before 6 p.m. local time. Shortly thereafter, a concerned passerby dialed 911 after discovering the wounded deputy in his patrol car at a traffic light. First responders swiftly transported him to Antelope Valley Medical Center. Regrettably, the 30-year-old officer succumbed to a gunshot wound later that night.
Following the tragic incident, Sheriff Robert Luna urged the community to come forward and provided a picture of a vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting. Sheriff Luna also noted that Deputy Clinkunbroomer was the third generation in his family to serve in the department, as both his father and grandfather had also been deputies there.
Kevin Cataneo Salazar, 29, was taken into custody early Monday morning after barricading himself in a home for several hours, Sheriff Robert Luna said during a press conference.
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 18, 2023
Salazar is accused of shooting Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, a 30-year-old field training officer, as… pic.twitter.com/mtVy011Isk
On Monday, September 18, the sheriff’s department made an announcement confirming the apprehension of a suspect. According to an official press release, the LA County Sheriff Department Special Enforcement Bureau carried out a search warrant in the early hours of the morning and found Kevin Cataneo Salazar.
According to reports, the guy, 29, barricaded himself inside the house before being caught. Investigators seized weapons and located the car they think was used in the crime. The reason for the shooting has not been revealed by law police.
The suspect’s mother, Marle Salazar, told the media that her son was given a paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis five years prior. She claimed that he had attempted suicide twice and had fantasies of being pursued by people. She said to the LA Times that ““My son is mentally ill.”
Through the department, the parents of Deputy Clinkunbroomer released a statement praising their son for his unshakable dedication to the neighborhood. They added that his loved ones, including his family, friends, and coworkers, would miss him dearly because he had recently become engaged to them. The distraught parents politely requested privacy and asked that their family be kept in the community’s thoughts and prayers.
