Officers Shoot, Kill Man With Hostage Near Squaw Valley
TAHOE CITY (AP) — A portion of Highway 89 near Squaw Valley remains closed Friday after officers shot and killed a man who was armed and holding a woman hostage, authorities said.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office tells the Sacramento Bee that the shooting happened before dawn Friday morning on Highway 89 near Squaw Valley Road.
The driver's name was not released.
The woman and the deputy were not injured.
The incident began as California Highway Patrol officers followed a suspected drunken driver out of Tahoe City, where officers laid down spike strips, which burst the driver's tires.
When the chase ended, the driver got out of his car and held his female passenger at gunpoint. The armed man walked away with her and pointed his gun at deputies and passing vehicles, police said.
"We thought at that time he was trying to carjack another vehicle," Placer County Sheriff's Lt. Troy Sander said.
He also started to walk toward a nearby home.
"Our officers tried to negotiate with the individual, but fearing for the safety of all involved, including the hostage and potentially the people in the home, officers used lethal force and eliminated the threat," Sander said.
Highway 89 is closed between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows Road.
The CHP says this will be a long-term closure as the investigation is ongoing.
A detour has been set up.
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