LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of California police officers were hunting Thursday for a gunman suspected of opening fire at a police station, hitting a deputy in the head and killing a transient with a bullet to the back of his head.
Authorities described being a step behind the suspect, 26-year-old Mason James Lira, since he opened fire at the downtown Paso Robles Police Department before dawn Wednesday in an ambush.
Officials later discovered the body of the transient, who had been shot in the back of the head at close range.“It’s a wide-ranging, full-on, full-scale effort,” said Tony Cipolla, spokesman for the San Luis Obispo County sheriff. “We’re right behind him.