Man Who Allegedly Ambushed California Deputy ‘Down’ After Police Shootout

In this undated photo obtained from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department and provide
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department/San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department via AP

The man who allegedly ambushed and injured a San Luis Obispo County deputy early Wednesday was shot Thursday afternoon by California law enforcement.

The Paso Robles, California, Police Department tweeted:

ABC News reports police began hunting the suspect, 26-year-old Mason James Lira, after he allegedly opened fire on law enforcement around 3 a.m. Wednesday. The FBI, California Highway Patrol, Arroyo Grande Police, and other local departments were all involved in pursuing Lira.

Twenty-eight-year-old Nicholas Dreyfus responded to the Wednesday morning shooting and “was shot in the face.” However, his “prognosis is good.”

KPIX describes Lira as a “transient” who is also wanted for questioning regarding the murder of a homeless man.

Lira’s dad says his son has a mental condition “but refuses to take medication.”

Other officers were injured in the shootout with Lira, but their conditions were not reported.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkinsa weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.

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