A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy died after he was shot inside his patrol car Saturday evening, authorities said.
Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, 30, was found unconscious by a civilian in his patrol car around 6 p.m. near the sheriff’s station in Palmdale, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Palmdale is about 60 miles north of Los Angeles.
The deputy, who was in uniform and on duty when he was shot, was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference.
No suspect description was provided and it’s unknown who opened fire on the deputy. The department is asking the public to come forward if they have video that may have captured the shooting.
“We really need your help. We need to get this guy off the street – guy or guys. He’s a public safety threat. He ambushed and killed – murdered – one of our deputies. We need your help to get him off the street,” Luna said.
Luna said it appears to have been a targeted shooting. “I think it was a targeted act based on what we know now, but we’re still in the extremely early stages of this investigation,” Luna said.
He added, “It could have been just the fact that he was representing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as one of our employees. We don’t know.”
“He was just driving down the street and for no apparent reason and we’re still looking into the specific reasons – somebody decided to shoot and murder him. I’m assuming at this point, because he was in uniform.” Luna said.
Clinkunbroomer, who transferred to the Palmdale sheriff’s station in 2018, had been with the department for eight years and was serving as a field training officer.
“Our deputy was a devoted family member and a cherished community member,” Luna said. “He was cowardly shot while working tirelessly to serve our community this evening.”
His father and grandfather both served in the sheriff’s department, Luna said. He had just gotten engaged four days ago. “He was just starting his life,” the sheriff said. Luna said Ryan was loved and adored.
“Service was running through his veins. He embodied the values of bravery, selflessness and was committed to justice,” Luna said in a Facebook post. “Our deputy was a devoted family member and a cherished community member.”
Saturday’s shooting comes three years after two Los Angeles deputies were shot ambush-style at a train station while sitting in their patrol vehicle. Surveillance video from the incident showed a gunman walking up to the passenger door of their squad car, opening fire and running away.
There have been 83 ambush-style attacks on law enforcement in 2023, resulting in 101 officers shot – 15 of them fatally, according to a September 5 report from the Fraternal Order of Police.
