Search For Suspected Cop Killer Shuts Down Schools, Ski Resort
BIG BEAR (CBSLA.com) — Several schools and a ski resort were put on lockdown Thursday as authorities continued their search for former LAPD officer and suspected killer Christopher Dornan.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: SoCal Manhunt
Christopher Dorner, 33, a former Los Angeles police officer and Navy reservist, is the subject of a multi-agency manhunt spanning five counties. Dorner is believed to have shot at four police officers early Thursday morning, killing one and wounding two, and is also suspected in the murders of an Irvine couple on Sunday.
Norwalk Christian School, where Dorner attended, will be closed down for the rest of the week after Dorner mentioned it in his manifesto as the place where he first experienced racism, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
As the manhunt moved from Corona and Riverside and into the mountains of Big Bear, where Dornan's burned-out truck was later found, schools have been placed on lockdown or were closed down all together.
Schools in the Bear Valley Unified School District were dismissed as of 3:30 p.m. and officials are preparing to keep schools closed in the event that the search continues into Friday.
"Based on investigations in our valley, and as a precautionary measure, we have called a district-wide lock down of all our facilities at 12:25 p.m. We don't believe there is an immediate danger (and) we do this as a precaution for the safety of our students and staff. We don't know the duration of the lock down and will post information to our website and Facebook as we get updates on the situation," BVUSD Assistant Superintendent Walter Con wrote to parents.
Schools in the neighboring Rim Of The World Unified School District did not go on lockdown, and neither did schools in Riverside.
Three Riverside-area private schools did opt to close because of the police activity – Notre Dame High School, Our Lady Of Perpetual Peace and St. Catherines Of Alexandria.
Bear Mountain Ski Resort, whose parking lot was used as a police command post, was also closed. Resort officials said guests would be able to use their lift tickets at nearby Snow Summit, which remained open, or get a voucher to return to the mountain another day.
Naval Base Point Loma was also placed on lockdown after a Navy worker reported seeing someone who resembled Dorner. Navy officials later said they didn't believe Dorner was on base.
