Fugitive ex-LA cop charged with murder of officer

February 11, 2013 @ 7:03 pm


This undated photo released by the Los Angeles Police Department shows suspect Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles officer. Seeking leads in a massive manhunt, Los Angeles authorities on Sunday put up a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer suspected in three killings. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Police Department) | Zoom
More Photos

See all photos

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - Hundreds of tips prompted by a $1 million reward poured in to authorities seeking help finding the most wanted man in America, an ex-Los Angeles police officer who was charged Monday with murdering a Riverside policeman.

With thousands of officers around Southern California searching for Christopher Dorner, prosecutors in Riverside announced charges for last week's killing. Dorner also was charged with attempted murder for wounding another officer and firing at two others, Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach said.

Authorities obtained a no-bail arrest warrant, which allows Dorner to be apprehended anywhere, Zellerbach said.

The manhunt for Dorner, 33, began last Wednesday when he was named the suspect in the Orange County murders of a former Los Angeles police captain's daughter and her fiance the previous weekend. Hours after police announced they were looking for him, Dorner first fired at two LAPD officers, then ambushed the Riverside officers.

"By both his words and conduct, he has made very clear to us that every law enforcement officer in Southern California is in danger of being shot and killed," Zellerbach said at a news conference that was guarded by four officers armed with rifles.

Police say Dorner wrote a lengthy manifesto that was posted to Facebook after the double murder. He vowed deadly revenge on those in the LAPD responsible for his firing years earlier, and their families. Police now are providing protection for some 50 families thought to be targets.

The search for Dorner was focused in the mountains near Big Bear Lake about 80 miles east of Los Angeles after his burned-out truck was found there last Thursday. Authorities are searching more than 30 square miles day and night in the ski resort area and checking on roughly 600 cabins.

Police and city officials believe the reward, raised from public and private sources, will encourage citizens to stay vigilant. More than 700 tips had come in since the reward was announced.

"Now it's like the game show `Who Wants to be a Millionaire,'" said Anthony Burke, supervisory inspector for the U.S. Marshals regional fugitive taskforce. "Instead of one contestant, we've got 100,000, and there's only one question you have to answer. All they have to answer is where he's at, and we can take it from there."

The wide-ranging search has created unusually heavy traffic backups at California border crossings into Mexico, as agents are more closely inspecting each car. State police in Mexico's Baja California were given photographs of Dorner and warned to consider him armed and extremely dangerous.

Zellerbach said authorities believe Dorner will emerge at some point and try to continue carrying out his vendetta.

"I don't think he's done," Zellerbach said. "Just read his manifesto and look at his actions. He's trying to send a message, and it would be my belief that his message is not completed yet."

Dorner was fired from the LAPD five years ago, when a department board determined that he falsely claimed another officer had kicked a suspect. Randal Quan represented him during the proceeding.

Quan's daughter, Monica, and her fiance, Keith Lawrence, were found shot dead Feb. 3 in a car in the parking structure of their Irvine condominium. Last Wednesday, after discovery of the manifesto, Irvine police announced they were searching for Dorner.

Early Thursday in the Riverside County city of Corona, police say Dorner shot at two LAPD officers who had been dispatched to protect a possible target of Dorner's. One officer's head was grazed by a bullet; the other was unharmed.

Minutes later, authorities said Dorner used a rifle to ambush two Riverside officers, killing one and seriously wounding another. The slain officer was identified as Michael Crain, 34. The other officer's identity was not released to protect his family.

___

Abdollah reported from Los Angeles. AP writer Elliot Spagat contributed to this report from San Diego. Abdollah can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LATams.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
More National News
Top Stories

  • Our Dirty Wars
    Director and investigator Jeremy Scahill is at SIFF talking about a myth surrounding Obama

  • Dollars Per Student
    Washington spending per student is below the national average

  • Coming Together
    If you came home to nothing but the concrete slab - what would you do?
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (38)


  • Add A Comment

  • CH wrote...
    Their little undeveloped brains are not capable of absorbing and processing even simple information.
    February 11, 2013 6:21 am
    how big is your Monkey brain? You can relate to this one uncle Bill [http://youtu.be/pmnzIhbX2bg] Your the 5%! Uncle Monkey Bill at his best!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    What's left of his carcass
    February 11, 2013 9:27 am
    Will be found when the snow melts. Move on.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cbrew wrote...
    Anybody else kind of... wondering....
    February 11, 2013 9:47 am
    How it is that just because this guy is a cop killer the LAPD and every other agency in the book is using whatever means necessary to capture/kill this guy? When was the last time you seen an accused killer garner this much effort? Heck when was the last time you seen a search for a child in danger garner this much attention. This is somewhat embarrassing to me that they are literally out there using millions of dollars worth of technology, throwing out all the stops to find this guy when we all know if it was a couple of our family members that got killed and there was a dangerous fugitive on the loose, the cops wouldn't react this way... I have no doubt this man should be caught, but judging by the response of the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies, I think they owe the public an explanation of why they're so willing to put this much effort on a cop killer, when they woiuldn't do half as much if it were private citizens that were killed.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    Go
    February 11, 2013 11:39 am
    Dorner go!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    "Your" so easy
    February 11, 2013 12:42 pm
    don't have to use ky. Coming over for a rear alignment? I will leave the door unlocked. Don't wake up mommy this time.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Cbrew wrote...
    February 11, 2013 4:16 pm
    Now it's like the game show `Who Wants to be a Millionaire,'" said Anthony Burke, supervisory inspector for the U.S. Marshals regional fugitive taskforce. Millions spent on guy who killed cop waste of good money for bad system that grow bad cops
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }