Deputies Shoot, Kill Homicide Suspect Near Camp Fire Evacuation Zone
PARADISE (CBS SF) -- A high-speed chase of a suspect wanted in a double homicide ended in a fatal officer-involved shooting near the evacuation zone of the Camp Fire Thursday, according to the Butte County district attorney.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the 48-year-old suspect was spotted near the Yankee Hill Pine Hardware Store in Oroville around noon and fled to avoid being taken into custody.
The high-speed pursuit down Highway 70 to the Pentz area near the evacuation area of the Camp Fire where "a spike strip did its job," Ramsey said.
"He rolled to a stop somewhere south of the Pentz and Highway 70 intersection," he said. "At that time, the officers started yelling to get out of the car...Officers when they saw him originally, he put his hand in his jacket and refused to take his hand out. Officers at the scene also heard what they felt was a gun clicking."
"At this point, officers feeling the man was armed, did a felony stop asking him to get out of the car, get out of the car."
The suspect yelled at the officers -- "You guys should have left me alone. I will not go back to prison."
A police K-9 dog was released. When the suspect moved his hand in his pocket, the officers fired their guns, fatally wounding the suspect, according to Ramsey.
"Three Shasta County Sheriff's deputies, three Yuba County Sheriff's deputies and one Fish and Wildlife officer fired their weapons," Ramsey said.
He said the incident remains under investigation.
