3 police officers shot in Palm Springs; one dead, another in critical condition; manhunt for shooter
By By Ruben Vives, Matt Stevens, Brain van der Brug and Richard Winton
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Three Palm Springs police officers were shot Saturday, at least one fatally, while responding to a family disturbance, prompting a large manhunt for suspects.
Palm Springs police have not released details on the officers’ conditions. But one law enforcement source told The Times that one officer had died and that a second was critically wounded. Families were being rushed to the hospital, the source said.
Officials said they were dealing with “an active scene” but provided few additional details. Police said the active scene was unfolding near the corner of Racquet Club Road and Sunrise Way.
Palm Spring Police Sergeant William Hutchinson said said someone opened fire on officers who were responding to a family disturbance call.
Hutchinson said police don’t have a suspect in custody and have multiple SWAT teams combing the area. The department sent out a “code red alert” and people in several nearby blocks are being evacuated.
“If you do live somewhere in the area, keep your doors locked,” Hutchinson said. “Please do not answer your doors for anybody.”
The law enforcement source also said the original call for service was related to a family disturbance. An argument between a father and son had turned violent, according to the source.
The source said SWAT officers are on scene looking for suspects. Photos on social media show a huge police presence in the area from numerous jurisdictions.
Reached by phone just before 3 p.m., a manager of a nearby hotel said a helicopter had been circling overhead for the past hour-and-a-half.
Alex Thomas, a manager at The Monkey Tree Hotel, which sits on Racquet Club Road, about half a mile east on the scene, estimated that about 10 squad cars had raced down the road, their sirens blaring, within the last hour.
She said she did not hear or see any shots fired, or know why police were swarming the scene.
But she described the areas as “real residential.”
“There’s a little school next to us,” she said. “We’re about the only business.”
So, she added, having helicopter buzzing about was “highly unusual.”
The shooting comes four days after a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sergeant was fatally shot during a burglary call in Lancaster. Authorities allege that the lawman was “executed” by the suspect, who was later captured.
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