Suspect shot in Pinon Hills deputy-involved shooting

Thursday, October 19, 2017
Suspect shot in Pinon Hills deputy-involved shooting
A suspect was shot and wounded in a deputy-involved shooting in Pinon Hills after a short chase Wednesday afternoon.

PINON HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect was shot and wounded in a deputy-involved shooting in Pinon Hills after a short chase Wednesday afternoon.

A chase started shortly before 2 p.m. and lasted about 30 minutes before ending in the desert. San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies said the shooting happened at Daisy Lane and Oasis Road.

The armed suspect opened fire on deputies after his van got stuck in the sand during the chase. Deputies fired back and struck the suspect.

The 43-year-old man was airlifted to a nearby hospital. He is also the same suspect authorities believe set a mobile home on fire in Santa Ana after threatening to shoot his wife.

Authorities said she was not injured, but did provide key clues on his possible motive and mindset. He told her he wasn't going to jail without a fight, just like his best friend who was killed by police after a shootout in Montana in May, which started with the murder of a sheriff's deputy.

Marshal Barrus and his father Lloyd led Montana police on a 130-mile chase across the state. The pair was wanted for shooting and killing Broadwater County sheriff's deputy Mason Moore after he had pulled them over for a traffic stop.

The father-and-son duo were finally stopped miles away after police use a spike strip. Investigators said the 38-year-old got out of the vehicle and shot at authorities.

He was shot in the head and died at the hospital. Barrus' father, who is from Bakersfield, remains in custody.

The motive for their attack on the deputy is unclear, but Lloyd Barrus' Facebook page has pictures of Bible verses with the word sheriff's highlighted.

The father and son's deadly face-off with deputies apparently is part of the motive behind the Pinon Hills chase and shootout.

No deputies were injured in the shooting.

The investigation was ongoing.