Sheriff Dept press release re:update officer involved shooting

On Thursday 3-15-12 at about 8:24am, Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received information of a possible burglary in progress near the 700 block of Blue Lake Springs Drive in Arnold. The driver of a local gas company had radioed his office that a male subject flagged him down claiming that his house was being burglarized. The subject who reported this information to the gas driver reportedly grabbed the driver while waiving a handgun and then went into the wooded area between homes in this residential neighborhood. Deputies were sent to the area while dispatch received further phone calls regarding a subject with similar description on Moran Road armed with a gun. Several subsequent callers heard shots fired in the neighborhood and a caller reported seeing a male suspect firing a gun near the intersection of Moran Road and Dawyn Drive. When the responding Deputy arrived on scene shots were fired from the male suspect. The Deputy ordered the suspect to drop the weapon; the suspect pointed the firearm at the Deputy. The suspect then began to move towards two homes in the area and in fear for his safety and the surrounding residents; the Deputy fired one round striking the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The Deputy was not injured during this incident and per standard policy is being placed on Administrative Leave. Release of the suspect’s name is pending positive identification and next of kin notification. The case is under active investigation.