News

Released: June 11, 2020 - Thursday, 06:16 PM

Shooting Suspect Update

Contact: Tony CipollaPhone: (805) 781-4547Date and time of incident: 6-11-20, Approximately 4:00 PMPlace of Occurrence: Ramada Drive and Volpi Ysabel Road, Paso RoblesVictim Information: N/ASuspect Information: Mason James Lira, 26, transientOn 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.