UPDATE 8, Thursday, 9:25 a.m.:
The gun used in the shooting has been located in a storm drain near American Beauty Drive and Tyler Lane, in the Canyon Oaks condo complex.
UPDATE 7, Thursday, 8 a.m.:
Nothing new to report. One sheriff’s team continues to search the area, Lt. Mark Hershey said.
School resource deputies have been briefed on the situation. School resource deputies are responsible not only for high schools, but also for elementary and junior high schools in their patrol area, said Sgt. Rich Nagler.
LASD Press Release, 3:16 a.m.:
Sheriff’s Internal Affairs Bureau detectives are continuing their investigation into a deputy- involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at approximately 7:25 PM near the intersection of Adon Avenue and Sierra Highway, Canyon Country.
Detectives have learned that Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s deputies attempted to contact a male adult riding a bicycle. The suspect abandoned his bike and ran to a wash area. The suspect reached into his backpack, turned towards deputies and pointed a handgun in their direction, resulting in a deputy-involved shooting. The suspect fled on foot and it is unknown if he was hit by gunfire.
A containment was established; however, the suspect has not been located. Although street closures have been lifted and residents have been allowed back into their homes, deputies are continuing their search for the suspect.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau at (323) 890-5300. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
UPDATE 6, Thursday, 12:39 a.m.:
Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies called off their active search for the shooting suspect Thursday at 12:39 a.m.
The suspect, 28-year-old Corey Paul Kieffer, remains at large.
Deputies searched the hills behind the Caravilla and Royal Oaks mobile home parks north of Soledad Canyon Road within the last hour but came up empty.
Shortly after midnight, a witness led deputies to a garage in the 18100 block of Sundowner Way where she had spotted someone matching a rough description of the suspect. Deputies confronted the person in the garage but it was not the suspect.
Area hospitals were notified earlier in the evening to be on the lookout for a gunshot victim; a blood trail suggests the suspect might have been hit when deputies returned gunfire.
Detectives from the sheriff’s crime lab are en route to examine the scene of the shooting and the blood trail and other evidence.
UPDATE 5:
Sierra Highway is reopening to through traffic (11:53 p.m.). Active search is focused east of Sierra.
Residents who’ve been shut in (or out) of the containment area are being allowed access, except around the location where the shots were fired.
UPDATE 4:
SCV deputies are investigating sightings in the vicinity of the Royal Oaks mobile home park and Caravilla mobile home park off of Soledad.
Sierra Highway remains closed from Soledad Canyon Road north to Adon Street. Residents within the containment zone are not allowed to enter or exit.
“Blessed are those who get to stay inside; the rest of us are locked out with kids at home,” a resident of the area said on SCVTV’s Facebook page.
UPDATE 3:
Deputies are investigating a blood trail in the area.
It is not known if the suspect was hit when deputies fired back at him.
K-9 and aerial units are deployed in the search.
UPDATE 2:
Clothing description updated to dark pants and dark sweatshirt.
Deputies from neighboring sheriff’s stations are assisting in the search. Investigators from the sheriff’s Internal Affairs Bureau are responding to the scene, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.
UPDATE 1:
According to the Sheriff’s crime broadcast, the suspect is Corey Paul Kieffer, described as a white male, age 28 (DOB 8/20/1984), clean shaven, wearing a black shirt, gray shorts, blue shirt. According to DMV he is 5’9″ and weighs 140 pounds.
Booking records show he was arrested March 14 for a misdemeanor, March 23 for felony appropriation of lost property, and April 4 for a misdemeanor. His occupation was listed as “construction.” A female with the same last name was arrested at the same time on March 23 for possession of a controlled substance.
If you see someone matching Kieffer’s description, authorities say, DO NOT APPROACH him. He should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
“If you are near the search area please stay inside and lock your doors,” sheriff officials said.
Original story:
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s deputies are scouring the Sierra Highway area north of Soledad Canyon Road for a known suspect who fired a black semiautomatic handgun at officers.
They’re looking for a white, 28-year-old man with spiky hair, said Deputy Mark Wood of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“It’s an active crime scene right now,” Wood said, “near Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road. People should stay away.”
The shooting took place near Sarabande Road and Dolan Street, officials said.
No deputies were hit in the shooting, Wood said.
Deputies shot back, according to Deputy Josh Dubin. It is unknown if the suspect was hit.
As of 8:20 p.m., deputies had recovered the suspect’s black backpack in the wash near Scherzinger Lane.
Southbound Sierra Highway is closed to traffic from a point near the Backwoods Inn.
NOBODY is allowed in or out of the containment area, which stretches along the east side of Sierra Highway, roughly from Scherzinger Lane south to Soledad.
Deputies believe the suspect might be hiding in the wash or the tunnels that run from Scherzinger south through the Canyon Oaks condominiums and on to a point behind Art’s Liquor on the south side of Soledad.
Anyone with information about the incident should call the Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.
LASD Press Release, Wednesday 9:40 p.m.:
Santa Clarita Station deputies were fired upon by a suspect with a gun near Sarabande Lane and Dolan Way. Deputies fired back and the suspect fled. No deputies were injured. It is unknown if the suspect was hit.
An active containment and search is being conducted at this time. Residents in the area are asked to stay inside until it is safe.
Investigators from the Internal Affairs Bureau are responding to the scene.
Whenever a Deputy-Involved Shooting occurs involving Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, and the suspect is not wounded, multiple investigations immediately begin at the scene. These include separate investigations by the Sheriff’s Internal Affairs Bureau as well as Sheriff’s station or Detective Division investigators. Attorneys with the Los Angeles Office of Independent Review also respond to the scene, and have full access to the facts known to the Sheriff’s Department throughout every phase of these thorough investigations. Once concluded, every aspect of the shooting is reviewed by the Sheriff’s Executive Force Review Committee.
Deputies Find Gun Used in CC Shooting; Suspect at Large