Update: Barricaded suspect killed in Salinas shootout following standoff after deputy hit by gunfire
SALINAS -- A suspect who shot and injured a Monterey County Sheriff's deputy was killed in a shootout Wednesday in Salinas following an hours-long standoff involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Just after 6 p.m. Wednesday, a visibly-shaken Sheriff Tina Nieto announced the end of the standoff in a brief statement to reporters.
"The suspect that we tried to get to peacefully surrender continued firing on our law enforcement agencies," said Nieto. "Just moments ago, the suspect was fatally shot. Um, and so, I just gotta say my prayers, my thoughts go out to everybody. This is very hard for any community. We wanted it to end peacefully, and unfortunately, our job is tough and there's a lot of things going on in this world and sometimes it doesn't end the way that we would pray it would and the way we want it to."
Nieto added that the suspect would not be identified until his family members were contacted.
KION reported the Sheriff's Office was serving an eviction notice when shots were fired, striking a deputy in the shoulder and side.
Nieto said the deputy arrived at the location at 7:49 a.m. following a call for service, and at 7:56 the deputy called for additional units to respond to his location.
"it was not an emergency situation at that point, he was just asking for additional units," said Nieto.
At 8:46 shots were fired and the deputy was hit multiple times.
During the standoff, a shelter-in-place was ordered for the area which included homes and businesses south of Calle Cebu, North of E. Market St., East of Peach Dr. and West of Highway 101. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the order was still in effect and was broadened to include E. Rossi St. and Sherwood Dr.
Nieto said the deputy was hit multiple times by gunfire and "was out of the woods" after surgery but faces a long recovery. The deputy's name was not disclosed but Nieto said he is 40 years old and a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's department.
He was being treated at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas.
Earlier in the day Nieto said deputies were making every effort to communicate with the suspect who was barricaded in a building near the shooting scene.
"We just want to end it peacefully. If the suspect is watching, you know, please, please surrender. Let's end this now and let's do it safely. We'll get you the help you need, but let's end it peacefully.
Robert Tripp, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco field office, said at an afternoon press conference that the agency had deployed crisis negotiators, SWAT officers and evidence response teams to the location to assist the sheriff's department.
This is a breaking news update. More information to be added as available.
