Asia-Pacific

US shooting leaves one cop dead, two wounded

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-26 09:04

LOS ANGELES: A gunman opened fire at police officers during an investigation in a rural area of Central California on Thursday, leaving one dead and two others wounded, authorities said.

The shooting led to an ongoing standoff between law enforcement officials and the shooter who barricaded himself inside his mobile home, according to the Fresno Sheriff Department.

The shooter opened fire when deputies and a state fire official arrived at his mobile home to serve warrants, said Margaret Mims, spokeswoman of the Sheriff Department.

The gunman was suspected of arson and another shooting, she said without identifying him.

"We lost a good deputy sheriff today," Mims said, adding that another officer sustained critical wounds and the third was in stable condition.

The suspect lived at the residence with his wife, but it was unclear if any other people were inside the home, she said.

Mims said authorities had not had any contact with the suspect in the ongoing standoff, and it wasn't clear if he was still alive. The names of the three officers were not immediately released.