California Sheriff's Deputy Killed, Two Officers Injured During Ambush While Responding to Call About Possible Bomb in Van
By KATE FELDMAN
Source New York Daily News
SANTA CRUZ, California -- A California sheriff’s deputy and two other officers were ambushed Saturday afternoon, leaving one dead.
Santa Cruz police responded to a call around 1:30 p.m. about a “suspicious” van near Ben Lomond that had guns and bomb-making devices inside, Sheriff Jim Hart said at a press conference.
Once deputies arrived, the van drove away and officers followed until it pulled into a driveway.
Hart said that the deputies were “ambushed” with gunfire and improvised explosives.
Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and later pronounced dead at the hospital, Hart said.
“He was a true hero,” Hart said, calling it “the worst day I’ve ever experienced.”
“In this era that we’re in, we think about what we want to see in a police officer: compassion, caring, somebody who truly loves his job and wants to help people. That’s what Damon was. He was a good man and a good police officer.”
Gutzwiller, a 14-year veteran of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, is survived by his pregnant wife and a young child.
A second deputy was either shot or struck by shrapnel, Hart said, then hit by a car as the suspect tried to escape.
A California Highway Patrol officer was also shot in the hand during the attack.
The suspect, 38-year-old Steven Carrillo, was shot during his arrest.
He will be charged with first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking and other felonies, Hart said.
The district attorney’s office and the FBI have joined the investigation.
Police said it’s unclear if Carrillo was working alone.
“Jennifer and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and coworkers of Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, who was tragically killed while on duty today," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. "He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father.”
The last Santa Cruz deputy killed in the line of duty was Michael Gray in 1983.
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