By Marc Benjamin
The Fresno Bee
(Published Wednesday, August, 22, 2001)  
 


DUNLAP - A Fresno County sheriff's deputy was killed Tuesday evening in a shootout with a suspected burglar inside a rural home in this foothill community. The suspect surrendered to officers without incident about 1:30 a.m. today, sheriff's officials announced.
The 26-year-old deputy, whose name was not made public, was pronounced dead late Tuesday at Sierra Kings Hospital in Reedley.

In a news conference late Tuesday at the hospital, sheriff's Capt. Roger Greening said the deputy has two children and his wife is expecting the couple's third child. The deputy had been with the department two years.

"I'm at a loss for words," said Sheriff Richard Pierce, who declined further comment early this morning. Pierce has scheduled a press conference for 10:30 a.m. today.

Authorities described the suspect as an African-American man in his 20s. He surrendered at the home in the 36000 block of Highway 180, about a half-mile east of Dunlap Road. The house is set about a quarter-mile off the highway.

Describing the suspect, sheriff's Lt. Don Burk said at the scene Tuesday night: "It's truly unknown who he is, and what set him off."

Burk said the suspect had access to six to 10 shotguns, rifles and handguns inside the home as well as ammunition for all of the weapons.

[red]Sheriff's deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and the Fresno Police Department's SWAT team and its armored vehicle responded to the scene. A law enforcement negotiation team also aided in the capture of the suspect.[/red]

Authorities hadn't identified the homeowners. The incident started late Tuesday afternoon when neighbors saw a man acting in a suspicious manner on the property, Burk said. The neighbors confronted the man, but he threatened them.

Neighbors called the Sheriff's Department about 4:45 p.m. Two deputies detailed to a nearby forest fire were dispatched to the home for a reported burglary in progress, Greening said.

Meanwhile, the daughter of the homeowners was contacted. She met the deputies at the home and said that her parents were away from the residence, Burk said.

The woman noticed that a window screen had been removed and the window broken. Greening said neighbors told deputies who responded that the man they confronted had approached another neighbor asking for food; when he was denied, he was seen approaching the home where the shooting took place.

The two deputies entered the home about 7 p.m. As they entered a hallway, they encountered gunfire from the heavily-armed intruder, Burk said.

As they retreated, the deputies returned gunfire, but it was not known if the suspect was struck