Authorities in Southern California were searching late Saturday for a gunman who shot three police officers who were trying to resolve a family dispute, killing two of them. 

"It was a simple family disturbance and he elected to open fire on a few of the guardians of the city," Palm Springs Police Chief Bryan Reyes, his voice breaking, told reporters.

The chief, near tears, identified the slain officers as Jose "Gil" Gilbert Vega and Lesley Zerebny.

"Today Palm Springs lost two brave officers," Reyes told reporters, his voice shaking with emotion. "I am awake in a nightmare right now."
Police said Zerebny recently returned to the force from maternity leave after giving birth to a now-4-month-old daughter. Vega, the father of eight, was a 35-year veteran who planned to retire in December. The wounded officer's name was not released.
Reyes said the three officers were standing near the front door speaking with the man, "trying to negotiate with the suspect to just comply," when he suddenly shot them.

He said the shooter was not apprehended and may still be in the house. He said Riverside County sheriff's SWAT officers had the residence surrounded and were now leading the investigation.
Reyes also urged the media and others not to stream live video of police officers' movements on social media, adding it could put them in danger.

"Understand that we're actively looking for a cop murderer," he said.
Dozens of law enforcement officers converged on the normally quiet residential neighborhood in this desert resort city after the shooting. They sealed off several blocks and evacuated some residents.

Police Sgt. William Hutchinson said officers were warning people already inside their homes to stay there, lock their doors and not answer them until further notice.

Although Reyes didn't identify the shooting suspect, he indicated police had had previous dealings with him.

A neighbor, Frances Serrano, told The Associated Press she called authorities after the father of the shooting suspect came to her house across the street and told her his son was "acting crazy."
He said, “Help. I need help. My son is in the house, and he’s crazy. He has a gun. He’s ready to shoot all the police," Serrano told the Los Angeles Times.

She'd gone back inside her home before officers arrived, Serrano said, and a few minutes after they got there she heard gunfire, "starting with a loud — I mean really loud — ‘bang!’” she told the Times. Moments later officers were knocking on her door, warning her to stay inside.

Serrano said the man police are looking for had been in jail at one time and had to wear a monitor on his ankle when he was first released. But she added that he had always been friendly and polite to her and her family.

"We never had any problems with him," she said. Serrano also told the Times that she believed the man was in his mid-30s.
The shooting occurred just three days after a popular Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant was shot and killed in the high desert town of Lancaster.

Sgt. Steve Owen was answering a burglary call when sheriff's officials say he was shot and wounded by a man who then stood over him and shot him four more times.

A paroled robber has been charged with murder.

Lancaster residents were organizing a candlelight memorial for Owen Saturday night.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/10/09/two-southern-california-police-officers-killed-one-wounded-manhunt-on-for-gunman.html

Not one days goes by that we don't hear about a Law Enforcement Officer getting killed. Enough is enough. It seems like it is open season on cops........

Time for them to make a statement and put this a$$hole in a body bag.

Question 1. If this guy just murdered 2 cops and wounded a third and not in custody and armed and dangerous and had been in jail before meaning the police could easily produce an actual photo of the worst and most dangerous and Most Wanted, why don't they name him and plaster his mugshot on every news outlet on a loop until he is dead or in custody?

I mean, if it's a manhunt, and it should be if what's being reported is accurate, WHICH MAN is it we are hunting? WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE so that citizens may AID THE AUTHORITIES IN HIS LOCATION WHEREABOUTS AND OR CAPTURE? That would be good right? Citizens HELPING the police? We do that from time to time. Since crimes tend to happen in PLACES, and involve PEOPLE AND OR PROPERTY that citizens want to PROTECT. Someone usually CALLS the police, sometimes they happen to be CONCERNED CITIZENS often ones who don't have a personal stake in the person place or properties involved in the crime.

2.Critical Question- wtf is Blankey B. Blank doing with a gun in California with an ankle bracelet that people on probation have to wear? The P.O. 's (not slang for police) do HOME INSPECTIONS. They are just as pervasive if not more than CPS.

I mean if you have an active non violent criminal investigation or a hostage situation where you know the suspect may use live video to escape or position themselves advantageously, then put a delayed feed showing a huge number of cops everywhere, or just loop footage of an assload of police leaving the station with split screen of his mugshot on the other side.
And why on God's green earth would you release the tragically KIA the day of when their families are watching but NOT releasethe name and mugshot OF THE ARMED AND DANGEROUS COP KILLER AT LARGE?
There is NO WAY to HUNT THE MAN IN A MANHUNT WITHOUT FIRST IDENTIFIYNG THE MAN.


WANTED: BLANKEY B. BLANK, has killed in cold blood two officers with kids some infants, and attempted murder of officer BLANKEY C BLANK, no relation. Suspect is to be considered. He might be armed and or dangerous possibly but definitely to be considered. He looks... like.... he might be about yey (not yay, gay maybe but not yay) tall, or short depending on your height and perception of it, and about... of middlish agey, there's a father in the story so he can't be terribly old, and we'll have to get back with you on weight skin color eyes hair clothing or any real DISTINGUISHING PHYSICAL FEATURES THAT MAY AID IN HIS CAPTURE. So, hit us up on Twitter or SNAPCHAT. There will be no reward.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, about that ankle bracelet... His was oneof the ones that didn't work so well. I mean somebody had to test the thing out, see how tough it is... You know. We could have ordered a replacement for it but the company that makes them only sells them in batches of 5,000 soo.... We didn't think it was a big deal. So this one is kind of on them. We needed that money for an armored vehicle that belongs on a battlefield, THOSE things ARE NOT cheap.

The call came in to 9-1-1 about an unstable man with a gun threatening to kill cops. All officers were headed to that location and SWAT (Anytime a threat like that comes over 9-1-1, SWAT is mobilized) was mobilized before the officers even arrived on scene.

Putting the mentally unstable mans picture and name out would have only escalated the situation more and they already had him in the house and it was sealed off so he couldn't escape.

It's California, its easier for a criminal then a law abiding citizen to get a gun. Most Parole Officers have several hundred people and pencil whip a lot of reports and only focus on the real bad ones.

It also might set that person on a spree thinking he has nothing else to lose or that everyone is going to get him and he better leave no witnesses wherever he goes.....

meanwhile,Ben&Jerry are selling BLM-Icecream!

hopefully the victims families see justice served

is there something objectionable about wishing justice be served?

nah,, minglers turn me into novelists

the basics of my response to police shootings is the same,, the victims family should see justice done for the deceased,,,

The SWAT Team could have served justice on scene.

bullet for bullet,,

You have a gun with a gun that just shot three cops that PREMEDIATATED the attack, why risk anymore lives and save the taxpayers for the lengthy legal, prison and medical bills.

it would be understandable to trade bullet for bullet


he most likely gets death due to the victims being police anyhow, so its also an understandable argument to get it over with

And we "all" (being a bit sarcastic on the "all") know the average death penalty in Cali is several decades...

the details are awkward

going out on a call that is cited as someone wanting to kill you,,,

and being in a position to allow that to happen,,,,


sounds like unchartered territory that the shooter was able to take advantage of,,,

If he gets death, he will more then likely die of old age then get the needle. Just look at Richard Ramirez, his first appeals were in 2006 and he was sentenced to death in 1986 and dies a couple years ago before the sentence could be carried out. They said it would have been another 20+ years before his sentence would be carried out.

This SOB had made threats that he was going to shoot all the officers, was wearing body armor and the three officers still tried to talk him down when they should have shot him on site.

WHO called 911?
A, CIVILIAN, perhaps that person WANTED TO DO GOOD and GET SOMEONE HELP BEFORE a crime was committed. Just maybe.

Are you serious? Releasing his name and picture or even a SIMPLE physical description, height, weight, approximate age, skin color, eye color, clothing, vehicle type if any, WHAT KIND OR GENERAL SIZE OF GUN? What is that? Is it like an incantation that will grow his gun from a .25 to a .357 or a .45? Will it turn a revolver to a fully automatic rifle? That is the most absurd argumenti have ever heard. IF HE KILLED 2 POLICE AND INJURED A THIRD WHILE EVADING A SWAT TEAM he might have an idea that police are looking for him. Maybe..., a little bit.

Why is it easier for a criminal? Where do they get their guns from? The criminal gunstore? Criminal gunshows? Wal-Mart? Target? Big Jim's Hacksaws and Handguns? Do they steal them from gun owners who keep losing the damn things? Or from (Law abiding) citizens who are really REPEAT OFFENDERS?

CAN YOU BUY AMMO WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD AND AN ANKLE BRACELET? There would be a RECEIPTfor whoever bought it. Unless they got it with a slurpee at 711.

Can't citizens go in broad daylight to a gun store and fill out some simple paperwork and have any kind of gun legally available and take it home in 3-5 days?


WHOA WHOA WHOA.
Couple hundred people and "pencil whip" reports. THERE WE GO. Now we are getting somewhere. That's called jargon for those who don't know, it means that this is COMMON ENOUGH that it has developed its own slang. So, who's fault is it that a Probation Officer would "pencil whip" a parolees report? Meaning just going through the motions ILLEGALY FALSIFIYING LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY and COLLECTING A PAYCHECK for NOT DOING THEIR JOB.

Conspiracy is not needed FOR PEOPLE TO FALSIFIY LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, which is A CRIME and one OCCURRING SO OFTEN THAT IT HAS ITS OWN SEMI SECRET TERM TO IDENTIFY TO OTHER OFFICERS IN THE SAME OR OTHER CAPACITIES THAT THIS CRIME WAS COMMITTED... AGAIN.

Tell us, if this man KILLED TWO POLICE, SHOT A THIRD AND ESCAPED A DAMN SWAT TEAM

ESCAPED A SWAT TEAM

STILL ARMED

STILL NOT KILLED OR CAPTURED A DAY LATER

Wtf are THEY doing?

STILL NO NAME ID PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION? What if he runs into a church or school? Decides to hide out there take a hostage or two or 26? What if he decides to line CHILDREN up next to a wall and demands $10,000,000 and a plane ticket and starts killing kids? CHILDREN.

Should anyone in this police department collect a check this pay period? A PD THAT DOESN'T THINK ITS IMPORTANT TO CATCH A MENTALLY DISTURBED ARMED AND DANGEROUS MURDERER THAT A WHOLE SWAT TEAM LET HIM ESCAPE? Should ANYONE IN THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVED IN THIS LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM COMMON SENSE AND SENSE OF DUTY ever collect another paycheck? The Cheif, the SWAT brass, lead investigator, OFFICER IN CHARGE, DISPATCHERS, collect THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS to just kinda chill out cuz it's not that big of a deal, these things tend to work themselves out and any CITIZENS that get hurt were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Good job. Pay raises all around the taxpayers won't be able to get it back once we TAKE it.

''Bullet for bullet'' that sounds a lot like GANG RETALIATION or VIGILANTE JUSTICE, don't the police tell citizens that's ILLEGAL? I'm shocked. Where would you get such an idea?

the idea that if someone is shooting at me, I should be able to shoot back


...just seems like logical defense

Yeah, I agree with you there. What I was trying to get at is because of the climate that Law Enforcement are facing right now with all the protests and rioting and lack of support from elected officials are making the officers less likely to use force, let alone deadly fore and that is making the cops hesitate, even on a call where they have advance knowledge that the suspect is saying he is going to kill all the cops and is wearing body armor.

The moment they saw him with a gun and wearing body armor they should have used lethal force and not try to talk him down.

Same with the SWAT team, instead of trying to talk him out for 12 hours they should have killed him. Instead they were just risking more lives.

A neighbor called 9-1-1 because the suspects father ran to her house and asked her to call the police telling her that his son had a gun, was wearing body armor and saying that he was going to kill all the cops.

It wasn't a man hunt. He never left his fathers house (Where he lived) and the house was already surrounded by Law Enforcement with SWAT in route so there was no way for him to escape so why escalate the situation and provoke the suspect by putting the guys information all over the television and media.

He also didn't escape the house, but go ahead and keep cop bashing. After all rhat is your favorite thing to do.