LEO Targeted Again - Paso Robles California

[Mark D]

I'm sure some of the California forum members have been watching this:

https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/shots-fired-at-paso-robles-police-department-active-crime-scene

Fort anybody unfamiliar with the story, two nights ago the suspect shot up the Paso Robles Police station at dark thirty. Then he engaged responding deputies from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's office, shooting one deputy in the face. The deputy is in hospital in serious condition.

A transient was also murdered about the same time - shot in the head. Authorities think it was the same shooter.

For the past 36 hours, there has been a man hunt in the area, punctuated by more gunfire last night and earlier this afternoon.

Late this afternoon LE agencies, including FBI, finally isolated him in a rural area. In the ensuing gunfight, at least two officers were wounded, possibly more. The suspect is dead.

This appears to be a targeted attack on LEO, just a couple of days after another ambush on LEO in nearby Santa Cruz County. The Santa Cruz event resulted in the death of Deputy Gutzwiller, RIP.

You folks in uniform stay vigilant, stay safe.

Edit: Reports of two CHP officers wounded in the gun fight today, and one from Arroyo Grande PD. None life threatening, fortunately.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Yes, was following it. Amazingly, because of the contemporary environment, it doesn't seem to be getting much coverage.

[AMC]

Yes, was following it. Amazingly, because of the contemporary environment, it doesn't seem to be getting much coverage.

I actually think, Erick, that it is BECAUSE of the current environment that it isn't getting as much coverage.

[paherne]

Yeah, the TRAK flyer on the suspect makes one wonder how he got a firearm as a prohibited person. Once again, California's gun laws protecting us.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Four separate shootings in two days, three of them against cops and there's only a handful of us (all cops) commenting on it. Yeah. BECAUSE.

[blues]

I think it goes without saying that the vast majority of our members here support LEOs...both here and in their own communities.

But I'm certainly not pleased with the dearth of vocal public support, especially in the media where the facts and statistics are available, yet overlooked.

A week or two earlier and cops and first-responders could do no wrong. A week later and the actions of a bonehead cop, watched over by his confederates, has made every LEO in America guilty by association, and is trotted out as proof of systemic racism and wrongdoing.

They should have Heather Mac Donald on every news broadcast as a public service announcement. But nobody cares about the truth. It would destroy the narrative.

[BehindBlueI's]

What's there to say? We're demonized from both sides and we're never more popular then when we're dead. One side sees an enemy down, the other sees a martyr they can exploit for their own political gain.

"Take care of each other, we're all we've got" has never been more true in my career, and I've seen some guys nailed to the wall to appease the narrative before. Of course we need to demonize police unions as well so that there's one less barrier to that.

[farscott]

Until I saw this thread, I was unaware of these shootings. I am usually pretty up to date on news, but I saw nothing on this. I would like to think the media is trying to not create copycats by not making the shooters "names", but I am not that naive. It appears LEOs getting hurt or killed distracts from the current narrative.

[GyroF-16]

Until I saw this thread, I was unaware of these shootings. I am usually pretty up to date on news, but I saw nothing on this. I would like to think the media is trying to not create copycats by not making the shooters "names", but I am not that naive. It appears LEOs getting hurt or killed distracts from the current narrative.

Ain’t that the truth...
It doesn’t seem that long ago when LEOs getting targeted and shot FOR BEING LEOs was pretty outrageous news.
Now it runs “counter to the prevailing narrative”, so I only learn about it here.

Keep your eyes open and be safe out there, guys.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Here's the SLO SO's press release:

Thursday 06/11/2020 6:16 PM - Shooting Suspect Update

CONTACT:

PHONE: (###) ###-####

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Shooting Suspect Update

DATE AND TIME OF INCIDENT: 6-11-20, Approximately 4:00 PM

PLACE OF OCCURRENCE: Ramada Drive and Volpi Ysabel Road, Paso Robles

VICTIM INFORMATION: N/A

SUSPECT INFORMATION: Mason James Lira, 26, transient

DETAILS OF NEWS RELEASE: On 6-11-20 at approximately 2:10 pm the Sheriff's Office received a report of an officer shot in the area of Ramada Drive and Volpi Ysabel Road in Paso Robles. Law enforcement officers were stationed in this area as part of a containment team assigned to keep the suspect, Mason Lira, from evading officers who were beginning a search of the riverbed. The wounded officer was evacuated from the scene and transported to a local hospital for treatment. Officers arrived at the scene and conducted a search for the suspect, when the suspect opened fire on the officers, wounding two of them. These officers were also evacuated and transported to local area hospitals for treatment. Officers continued their search for the suspect along the Salinas River when they encountered Lira, who had been hiding in the riverbed. The suspect attempted to flee from the riverbed towards Highway 101 when he was shot by law enforcement officers. Mason Lira was pronounced deceased at the scene of the shooting. Officers found Lira in possession of two handguns that are believed to have been stolen from a commercial burglary in the City of San Luis Obispo a few days before the shooting of the Sheriff's deputy on June
10th. The officers wounded today are employed by the following agencies: California Highway Patrol, Arroyo Grande Police Department, Kings County Sheriff's Office. The officers transported to local area hospitals are in good condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

PREPARED BY: tcipolla

RELEASED: Thursday 06/11/2020 6:16 PM

[Totem Polar]

I think it goes without saying that the vast majority of our members here support LEOs...both here and in their own communities.

But I'm certainly not pleased with the dearth of vocal public support, especially in the media where the facts and statistics are available, yet overlooked.

A week or two earlier and cops and first-responders could do no wrong. A week later and the actions of a bonehead cop, watched over by his confederates, has made every LEO in America guilty by association, and is trotted out as proof of systemic racism and wrongdoing.

They should have Heather Mac Donald on every news broadcast as a public service announcement. But nobody cares about the truth. It would destroy the narrative.

i suppose that it is theoretically possible for me to be more in agreement with you than I am now, but I honestly can’t see how.

I think it was Zincwarrior who posted the laconic and profound comment that cops went from heroic covid warriors to evil storm troopers overnight. Forget the matrix: the narrative has us.

[DC_P]

I think it goes without saying that the vast majority of our members here support LEOs...both here and in their own communities.

But I'm certainly not pleased with the dearth of vocal public support, especially in the media where the facts and statistics are available, yet overlooked.

A week or two earlier and cops and first-responders could do no wrong. A week later and the actions of a bonehead cop, watched over by his confederates, has made every LEO in America guilty by association, and is trotted out as proof of systemic racism and wrongdoing.

They should have Heather Mac Donald on every news broadcast as a public service announcement. But nobody cares about the truth. It would destroy the narrative.

My wife and I live a somewhat isolated life, even more so now. We were just wondering this morning how wide spread this sentiment really is. Is it just what the current media hype and vocal minority is spouting, or is there truly an anti-police mindset prevalent in the country? It seems hard to fathom how normal people (ie non-criminals) can really think that the overwhelming majority of police officers are not decent people who are willing to risk their lives daily to serve the best interest of the community.

[blues]

My wife and I live a somewhat isolated life, even more so now. We were just wondering this morning how wide spread this sentiment really is. Is it just what the current media hype and vocal minority is spouting, or is there truly an anti-police mindset prevalent in the country? It seems hard to fathom how normal people (ie non-criminals) can really think that the overwhelming majority of police officers are not decent people who are willing to risk their lives daily to serve the best interest of the community.

It's a fair question and I don't know how to answer it.

The American public is bombarded daily with news reports echoing the cries of systemic prejudice...bad, out of control cops...racist cops and a legal system which unfairly convicts otherwise innocent parties but for the color of their skin.

What percentage of Americans are buying into this? Who can actually say? What percentage of just plain folks like you and me living in small town America, or across the urban landscape, really believe what they are hearing from the media and the spokespeople for the "movement" across the country?

I've got to believe that most Americans just aren't buying it...but don't, (and rightly so), discount that there are certalinly instances of injustice or prejudice or racism...as there are now, and have always been. And those valid instances of wrongdoing must be addressed, the sooner the better.

Celebrities who mindlessly jump on the bandwagon to make sure they are seen front and center supporting the issue of the week do more harm than they know because they don't care, or bother to find out what the facts are. If only there was an actual effort to view the current issues through a lens of actual facts and statistics, none of this hoopla would have been necessary and reasonable measures might have been taken to address the situations.

But as long as narratives and agendas are created and supported "in spite" of the facts, by politicians, the media, the press etc, what hope is there for the truth to prevail?

Your guess is as good as mine. All we can do is try to set an example by speaking the truth to friend and foe alike.

[Malamute]

FWIW, Ive been watching this story on the bing and yahoo news bits on their home pages along with updates.

[AMC]

"Public support" that does not manifest itself in any way, vocally or with actions, isn't support.

I live in a fairly wealthy, largely white county north of where I work (the Worlds Biggest Outpatient Clinic). My church is full of older, progressive retired white people, most of whom seem to actually believe most things that Wolf, Don, Anderson and Rachel tell them. Our priest has, the last two Sundays, called on us to reflect on our own inescapable racism and privilege as white people, and the violence we do to the black community. I should point out....this person is sincere, and unfortunately actually believes this shit.

The need for empirically based thinking, and decisions based on evidence, is lost on a huge segment of our population. You can see this when you ask questions about current events or issues....the answer always begins "I just feel...", or "I feel like...". No one says "I think...", or even "I believe...". This is prevalent enough that I've pointed it out to my children, asked them to refrain from such language, and warned them to be wary of others' arguments if such phrasing is used.

A large section of our population is now the prisoner is Plato's allegory of The Cave. The light of truth is too bright, too painful. They prefer the comfort of the shadow puppet show on the wall. The matrix/narrative truly has them. I do not know where we go from here, but I am less and less optimistic that these conflicting realities can coexist peacefully.

[wvincent]

The need for empirically based thinking, and decisions based on evidence, is lost on a huge segment of our population. You can see this when you ask questions about current events or issues....the answer always begins "I just feel...", or "I feel like...". No one says "I think...", or even "I believe...". This is prevalent enough that I've pointed it out to my children, asked them to refrain from such language, and warned them to be wary of others' arguments if such phrasing is used.

A large section of our population is now the prisoner is Plato's allegory of The Cave. The light of truth is too bright, too painful. They prefer the comfort of the shadow puppet show on the wall. The matrix/narrative truly has them. I do not know where we go from here, but I am less and less optimistic that these conflicting realities can coexist peacefully.

You nailed it right there: The "feelz". Like all of a sudden, nobody is capable of logic, let alone critical thinking. This is what we get with a 24/7 news cycle, and multiple social media platforms that people use to push out a narrative. Then that narrative if false has to countered. Bottom line for those two items is "if it bleed's, it leads". And clicks, likes, retweets = MONEY. Viewership of news =MONEY. I remember when the evening news was actually news, and not narrative. I miss it.

Simple logic would dictate that the following is true: Are all cops bad? No. Are there any bad cops? Yes. But why? Because we hire from the human race, and people are flawed. No one takes into account that nobody hates a bad cop more than other cops. It stains the brotherhood, and all those who took the same oath. When I ask folks complaining about their interactions with the police, a lot of times the dissatisfaction comes from that fact that they got a cop experience, not a social worker intervention experience. A lot of false expectations of LE service is put forth to the public, but it isn't the line officers who threw that out there. It's admin, clear to the top.

Targeting officer's works great for the people pushing the narrative of ACAB. The more cops are hunted and ambushed, the more defensive they will become, and also much more like likely to overreact. Or, there will just be a lot more cooping and driving around counting tree's, just trying to survive the shift. Either action helps feed the narrative that all cops are bad, and must be replaced. But replaced with what? The social worker they need/want because people are too immature or ineffective in running their own lives, or a new Praetorian Guard that only serves the elite and the party in power?

I suspect the MN experiment will result in a Praetorian Guard type based on who wants to tear it down, and who wants to be in charge of the rebuilding of the department.

Folks seem to forget that the public service departments in their locale are a direct reflection of the candidates they vote into office.