Tragic Shooting Claims the Life of a Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Inside His Patrol Vehicle, Authorities Report
In a devastating turn of events, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy lost his life after being shot while seated in his patrol car on Saturday evening, as confirmed by authorities.
Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, aged 30, was discovered unconscious by a civilian within his patrol vehicle at approximately 6 p.m. in close proximity to the sheriff's station in Palmdale. Palmdale is situated roughly 60 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
Despite immediate efforts, Deputy Clinkunbroomer, who was on active duty and in full uniform at the time of the incident, succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital. Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna expressed his condolences and provided details at a news conference.
As of now, there is no available description of the suspect, and the identity of the individual responsible for the shooting remains unclear. The Sheriff's Department is appealing to the public for assistance, particularly in the form of any potential video footage that may have captured the tragic event.
Sheriff Luna urgently conveyed, "We really need your help. We need to get this guy off the street – guy or guys. He’s a public safety threat. He ambushed and killed – murdered – one of our deputies. We need your help to get him off the street." The plea underscores the severity of the situation and the urgency in bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Sheriff Luna noted that the incident seems to have been a deliberate and targeted act.
"I think it was a targeted act based on what we know now, but we’re still in the extremely early stages of this investigation," Luna stated.
"He was just driving down the street and for no apparent reason – and we’re still looking into the specific reasons – somebody decided to shoot and murder him. … That to me is sickening."
Deputy Clinkunbroomer, who had joined the Palmdale sheriff’s station in 2018, held the position of a field training officer. Sheriff Luna revealed that both his father and grandfather had served in the sheriff’s department. Tragically, Clinkunbroomer had only recently become engaged, a mere four days prior to the devastating incident.
This heart-wrenching event transpired on the heels of a similar incident three years prior, where two Los Angeles deputies were ambushed and shot while seated in their patrol vehicle at a train station. Surveillance footage captured the assailant approaching the passenger side of the squad car, opening fire, and swiftly fleeing the scene.
Disturbingly, there have been a total of 83 ambush-style attacks on law enforcement personnel in 2023, resulting in 101 officers being shot – a staggering 15 of them losing their lives, as reported in a September 5 update from the Fraternal Order of Police.