Family of slain Palmdale Deputy Clinkunbroomer announce $20 million damages claim

The family of slain Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy  Ryan Clinkunbroomer, announced a $20 million damages claim Tuesday, accusing the sheriff's department and county officials of knowingly endangering the lives of deputies by forcing them to work excessive hours and shifts.

Clinkunbroomer was shot and killed, ambush-style, just after leaving the Palmdale station on Sept. 16 as he sat and waited at a red light in his work vehicle. He was just 30 years old.

"We don't want any parent to ever have to sit at a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner with someone missing like we had to this year," Kim Clinkunbroomer, the mother of the late Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, said at a Tuesday morning news conference to announce the claim.

Michael and Kim Clinkunbroomer filed the claim against the county Monday, alleging deputies are forced to work excessive overtime hours, and the situation left their son fatigued and unable to defend himself, leaving him susceptible to the ambush.

According to their attorney, Bradley Gage, Clinkunbroomer worked 69 hours of overtime, in addition to his normal 80 hours in the two weeks before his death.

"We are here to help bring community awareness to a problem that the department has known for years and the Board of Supervisors has known for years," Gage said.

A day and a half after the shooting, 29-year-old Palmdale resident Kevin Salazar was arrested and later charged with murder. He entered dual pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

Salazar's family claims he has a long history of mental illness and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Clinkunbroomer had gotten engaged four days before he was killed.